Even Endless Starlight Begins Somewhere
by Loser-with-Candy
Summary: Before they were a team the Star Guardians stood alone, unaware of of each other and their own power. But when Lux awakens to her magical gifts she quickly realizes she cannot face the void alone. Follow Lux as she searches for her fellow Guardians, and begin their adventure to fight back against the evil Void.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own League of Legends, no matter how much RP I spent on it.

A/N: This story takes place in High School AU/StarGuardian AU. Though the setting has been changed to help fit my own needs. Set in a modern world with little to no magic. (Star Guardians and The Void being the two major sources) Everyone is either Human or Yordle (Other sentient species may pop up. When I can create a good reason) The locations have also changed, instead of a pangaea continent, Valoran is a huge metropolis, and the city-states are now neighborhoods/interconnected cities within the metropolis. I also set it as more of a Japanese style of school.

This is my first Fanfic ever so please be gentle, any help is appreciated. That's all for now on with the show~!

* * *

 _1 Month Ago..._

 _What am I doing?_

Lux brought her knees up to her chest. Her chin rested lightly atop of them. The empty park had become familiar to her as she sat at a vacant swing set staring up at the sky. This was the second night she ran from home. Another argument with her parents. Lux didn't understand why they were so stubborn. Garen was able to go to Valoran High no questions asked, but she had to attend Demacia Prep. No offense to her brother, but her grades far exceeded his. That alone should qualify her to join the school of her choice.

But no. She had to stay with her parents. She was too young to go live by herself, still naive, as a Crownguard she should listen to her parents. They knew what was best for her. Transferring now meant heading into second year without anyone familiar. What about the friends you made at Prep? _Gah_ , Lux shook her head. When had her thoughts turn into a lecture?

Lux sighed. _I should get back home, running off just proved their point._ Untucking herself, Lux hopped off the swing set. Her eye drifted to the dark sky once again, in her view she saw a star shoot across night. Lux half smiled and closed her eyes, but shook the notion off as quickly as she could. Who wished on stars at her age? Lux felt a tad childish and turned to go back home. Maybe her parents were right... _No! I'm just going to have to convince them._

Unbeknownst to the Demacian, the star in the sky took a sharp turn and redirected its light onto the earth below. Lux was bathed in a blinding luminescence, startling her. She spun about, her head filling with vertigo as she notice she wasn't on the ground anymore.

Falling, she was falling! Lux flailed wildly as she tried to steady herself. Slowly she reached out with one arm. Only for it to send her in a top spin. The world below her and the sky around her whipped around one after the other.

" _Calm, young guardian"_ It was a voice, disembodied but beautiful. " _What you see is only in your mind's eye."_

Through the torrent of wind Lux shakily called back. "A-an ill-illusion!?" As soon as she asked, the rush of wind died in her ears. She could still feel it on her skin and her hair still thrashed about erratically. But, as if voicing the word made it so, the view around her calmed. Lux was still falling, but not really. Instead she soared, her arms outstretched from her side. Around her she could see four others but they were so obscured by the light around them she couldn't see anything but their silhouettes. Clouds whooshed by and Lux felt a prickle of condensation as she felt through one. "W-what-" Lux cleared her throat and calmed her trembling voice. "What's going on?"

" _You are awakening to the power I shine upon you, my Star Guardian."_ The voice trailed from one ear to the next. As if she was circling around Lux. The simple sound of the words warmed her insides. Lux could only look up at the empty sky in confusion. " _A great evil is coming to your world, and it is again I must call upon you."_

 _Again?_ "What do you mean again? I don't- what evil? What is happening?" Lux asked again, hoping for a more answers this time. A lot of red flags were raised in her mind.

" _In previous life times, you were called to fight for the protection of countless worlds. Now you must do the same for this world."_

A rush of sights and memories flooded Lux's head. Different worlds, places, and people. Some were vaguely familiar, like a nagging feeling or a word on the tip of her tongue. And others were complete strangers, only mysterious shadows of people. Their strange shapes anything but human. It was all too much, she couldn't focus on any of it. Lux held her head and before she knew it, all at once it vanished. Leaving a single memory, older than any other.

Bright light. A single star, the First Star, in an endless void of darkness shone brilliantly. In its light it illuminated a world, young and new. On the surface below, Lux but not really Lux knelt to the star. Then Lux, present day Lux remembered. "I've done this before?" It was a rhetorical question, practically a statement of fact. Deep down she knew. She had heeded this call before in a previous life, her first life, and she must heed the call again. To protect her world, her home, from the oncoming Void. "What-, I mean. I-" Lux took in a deep breath, closing her eyes. The rushing wind around her felt distant now. As if it wasn't there at all. Slowly exhaling she opened her eyes, her voice hard with resolve now "I shall accept the call. Become a Star Guardian again."

Lux legs wobbled as she awoke from her daze, she steadied herself on the swing set. The cold metal chilling her hand, the slight pain telling her she was back in the real world. Her eyes went wide as her head shot about, looking around the empty park. She was still here. Quickly digging into her pocket she took her phone out. _No time had past…_ Looking around the empty park to see if anyone had noticed her little episode, Lux was happy to see she was alone. With one last glance at the stars above, Lux rushed home.

If only she had known what accepting the First Star's call really meant.

* * *

 _Valoran High - Present Day_

"Omg Lux, I need to show you something."

A phone was thrust into Lux's face, throwing the girl from her thoughts and memories from a month ago. She blinked back the sudden surprise and focused on the screen. The tumblr app was open and a fuzzy picture was expanded to fullscreen. There in the picture was a pink blur, if she squinted it actually looked human. Hard to tell, it looked like it was taken at night and without the flash. Lux's brows furrowed as she looked up at her classmate.

"What am I looking at, Ahri?" Though she actually had a pretty good idea of what. It was the Star Guardian. Lux's alter ego used to fight the evil that threatens Runeterra.

Ahri sighed and knelt down next to Lux's desk. Swiping at the screen the picture changed to another pink blur, then another. As Ahri swiped the pictures showed a sequence of the blur running, and fighting a purple spider-thing. "It's that magical girl! You know." Her fingers danced on the screen and a list of twitter posts replaced the tumblr app. They all showed photos of the Star Guardian, but always too far away or really blurry. The Star Guardian had been big news ever since she showed up. Some say she appeared in a flash of light coming from the heaven. Which to be fair isn't that far off from the truth. "Some people thought it was all just like some movie being filmed, or some stupid publicity stunt for something. But like c'mon." Ahri rolled her eyes and continued swiping and tapping her phone. "Look here. Spotted in North Valoran practically in Freljord, and like down here near Bandle City and once again in Noxus of all places."

"So-" Lux tried to probe before being interrupted.

"Sooo~ Like it's obviously not a movie being filmed. She pops up randomly ALL over the city and not one block gets sectioned off." Ahri swiped again, the tumblr app opening and showing the blurry pictures once more. "I totally saw her, I was like right there when she showed up. No one else was there. Complete ghost town, no lights, no cameras, but like so much action. She was fighting this evil looking spider. Freaking huge. I didn't want to get dragged into it so I hid out in an alley until it was over" The final picture was actually quite clear. The Star Guardian standing underneath a street light, her back facing Ahri. "She's a real life superhero."

Ahri had a sparkle in her eye that made Lux nervous. Ahri was a major gossip junkie, she knew every single tabloid and rumor of every celebrity there was. And she can sniff out all the juicy secrets like a fox. Whether those were true or not didn't really matter, all that mattered was if they were controversial and caused enough of a stir each time she told it. Her picture of the Star Guardian was going to blow the internet up.

Subconsciously Lux started to twirl a lock of her blonde hair, happy that when she transformed into her alter ego it also changed her hair into the bright pink hue. She glanced at the clock. It was past the start of class and their homeroom teacher was still not present. Not a good sign, if the teacher doesn't come in soon Ahri was going to continue talking to her. Lux sent a small prayer to the First Star, if it gave her magical powers then it can make homeroom start. Talking about yourself while not making it obvious you're talking about yourself was going to be tough to hide. It was basically lying, and Lux was a terrible liar. Dang self righteousness.

"So," Ahri's words drew Lux's attention back, "who do you think she is?"

"W-what?" It was all Lux could sputter in response. Not at all prepared for that question.

Ahri scoffed a little, "Like who in school? Cause it has to be someone here." Ahri began counting off fingers, "For one, she looks our age. I'm guessing a second year. Two, has to be going to Valoran High. This school is the only one in like the center of Valoran and also has dorms. So they can like use this place as their base or something. And three. Her outfit, it looks like our school's uniform"

"Uh Ahri, it's a sailor uniform, all the other schools have a sailor uniform, ours is not that different. And it's not hard to get around Valoran, the trains connect everything. You can go from Demacia to Noxus in a day if you wanted." _Stick to half-truths._ Lux hoped she wasn't biting her lip, that was always her obvious tell.

Ahri narrowed her eyes at Lux. Her stare felt like it was going to bore right past Lux's facade. "Well I guess you're right." Her face softened as she stood back up, her mind wandering back to other gossip. "I got a pool going with the other girls, taking bets on like who it might be. My money's on you actually. But to be fair, I have to ask. Who do you think?"

"Uh." Lux sent a quick glance around the room. Her gaze bounced from classmate to classmate before settling on Quinn. She had a lost look in her eyes, which were strangely settled on the back of Talon's head. He was too busy etching his name in the desk with a pocket knife to notice the dull stare. "Quinn?"

"Pft, that's your best guess? I mean like ok sure I guess." Ahri tapped on her phone, adding Lux's name and her guess on a betting pool. "Tell me if you want to put money on it." She switched back to Tumblr and walked off, Not even a simple 'talk to you later', Ahri's attention fully switched to her next target. "Hey Quinn, have you seen this yet?"

Lux let out a sigh. Sometimes Ahri was too curious for her own good. In the corner of her eye Lux saw her now harassing Quinn, barraging her with the same gossip Lux had to endure seconds earlier. Quinn looked none too happy to be pulled out of her daydream. Just then the classroom door slid open. _Aw c'mon, now you show up?_ Lux took out her notebook and pencil with a grumble as a number of students scrambled to their seats.

But it wasn't their normal homeroom teach coming inside, it was a tall man in a rumpled blue track suit. His bushy ponytail bounced as he walked to the center desk. Yasuo wasn't their normal teacher, far from it. He was usually the kendo instructor alongside Mr. Yi. So he barely taught normal classes at all. The man scratched his stubble of a beard and let out an annoyed groan. "Sit down sit down." He waved for any student not in their seat to hurry up already. "I have some bad news, Ms. Laurent got caught up an accident involving an experiment Mr. Ziggs was working on this morning. So I will be filling in as your homeroom teacher until she gets better." There were a few gasps and hushed whispers spread amongst the students. Mr. Ziggs was a notorious science teacher and well, he had a habit of blowing up most of his experiments. "Not to worry she is just fine, she's in the teacher's room recovering right now and will be back by tomorrow morning.." Relief washed over everyone as Yasuo continued on, ignoring the whispers entirely. "So, now that I'm here…"

Yasuo turned around, unfolded a piece of paper from his pocket and taped it to the chalkboard. Then promptly turned on his heel and walked out. There was silence as everyone waited for him to come back. But when a minute passed and it was now obvious he wasn't going to return, everyone's stare went to the piece of paper. This left many confused until Talon walked up to the chalkboard and snatched the paper off the board.

"That lazy ass. It says 'self study'" he held it up for everyone to see. There small letters printed out on the top, "He couldn't even be bothered to change the font size." Talon crumpled the paper and threw it at the waste basket, missing by an inch.

The class descended into a disorganised mess. As all students know, 'Self Study' actually meant free time. Friends pushed their desks together and started chatting about random stuff. What they're going to do after school, clubs, and some light gossip. Well maybe not light gossip. Ahri was still going on about how she saw the Star Guardian late last night while walking home from karaoke. It was the only clear photo of her and everyone wanted to see it for themselves. All the while Ahri snuck in her betting pool, now including the boy's opinions.

Lux hid herself behind her text book. Always the studious one, she was one of the handful that actually studied during this 'free' period. That and she had a bunch of work to catch up on, fighting evil by moonlight kept most of her school work on the back burners. She needed a little bit of a break. Maybe self study wasn't so bad.

Morning Classes sped by. Being left with free time would do that. Before Lux knew it the afternoon bell rung. Her head snapped up from her text book, her eyes looking to the clock then back at the work she was doing. Barely half the page was completed. Lux sighed. Living a double life took more out of her than she had thought, feels like her mind was always on fighting evil and not enough on school.

Packing her text book away, Lux reached into her school pack and took out two bento boxes. She always ate with brother Garen during lunch. Transferring in at the start of the school year, Lux had thought she would be able to join some sort of social circle. That wasn't the case. Second years had their cliques already defined from last year. Ahri was ms. popular and was surrounded by others like her. Poppy, Lulu and Tristana hung around other yordles. Even Jinx, who most considered crazy, hung out with that first year Ekko or annoyed the third years Caitlyn and Vi. Lux… tagged along with her brother's and his friends.

Lux walked out of her classroom and quickly to the upper floor. Opening the door, Lux saw Garen sitting and talking adamantly with Jarvan and Xin. When he spotted his sister he simled broadly and waved her over. Smiling back, Lux sat down in a vacant seat next to her brother. She passed him his lunch and she opened her own. They were simple, and she made them every morning in her dorm building's kitchen. It was quiet as she ate... quiet on her end at least. Lux didn't know what to say when she sat her for lunch. Most of the time they talked about what they did yesterday or about people she doesn't know. _Note to self stay away from that Draven guy._

She wasn't the only girl who sat her, Shyvana and Quinn did too. Shyvana because she and Jarven were childhood friends and Quinn because. Lux looked across the room to where Katarina and Cassiopeia were harassing their step brother, then back to Quinn who was hiding behind her chopsticks as she stared. _Man, can Quinn be anymore obvious?_ Lux had to chuckle at the thought.

"What's so funny, Lux?" Garen elbowed Lux. It was affectionate, but Lux wished Garen realized his own strength. His little jab almost sent Lux toppling to the floor.

"Oh umm, just remembered something Ahri told me. Something about the Star Guardian rumor and her little bet that's been going around."

"Ah. She told me that you told her that you thought it was me." Quinn jumped in the conversation.

"Yeah, sorry… You were just the first person that came to mind. I kinda wanted Ahri to leave me alone…"

Quinn laughed a little. "Well unlucky you, most of the bets are on you being the Star Guardian."

Lux almost choked on her food. "What? Why?"

Quinn looked to Shyvana who shrugged and replied. "I said it was Ahri, she's self centered like that."

"Can't be either. Ahri's got too big of a, ah uh-" Jarven started but cut himself off as Shyvana glared at him. "I mean Lux's are too, ah-" Garen and Lux glared at him this time. Jarven looked to Xin for help.

Xin sat quietly and ignored his friend's slip up, too busy on his phone to say anything. After a pause he just flipped his phone around and showed a picture of the Star Guardian and Lux as a side by side comparison. Everything just blew up from there. From arguments of 'it's too eerily close to be true' and 'it obviously isn't' to 'highly suspicious to their young friend'. Lux could only groan and bang her head down onto the desk. _This can't be happening._

A light tap brought Lux's attention back to reality. Turning around Lux saw Janna wave a polite hello. "Sorry for intruding, Lux." Lux shook her head, dismissing Janna's interruption. She was actually saving Lux from all this. "I need to talk to after school today."

The two went to the same after school club. The Literature Club. Honestly Lux didn't know which club to attend when she first transferred to Valoran High. The last club she attended in Demacia Prep was actually just a study group. A poor one at that, most people who came just chatted with their friends. That had to go once she changed schools. Her first day at her new school she decided on Lit Club. She enjoyed reading, and Literature Club felt like it would be easier to skip out on if she had to fight evil. No one noticed if her attendance dipped if they were nose deep in a book after all.

"It's fine we can talk now." Lux wanted desperately to be whisked away from the people behind her.

"No I don't want to disturb you and your friends. Besides it's a private matter."

Before Lux can ask, Janna was already walking away. Great, Lux groaned and turned back around. Garen was talking about the Star Guardian's hair, how it can't be a wig. How he knew anything about wigs Lux didn't know or want to know.

* * *

School seemed to drag on from there. When the final bell rung, Lux lept out of her seat dodging Ahri and her stupid gossip as quickly as possible.

Literature Club's room was empty when Lux came inside. Which was strange, Janna was always here before Lux and she specifically said she needed to talk to her. Looking around the room Lux noticed how musty the place was. Dust accumulated on all the shelves. She ran a finger across the book's spines and grimaced as she saw all the dust on her fingers. Besides Janna and herself there were only a few other club members. There was a soft knock on the door, Diana excused the noise and walked inside. She spotted Lux and no one else and raised an eyebrow.

"No Janna today?"

Lux shook her head. Diana was a reserved member, she stuck to her books and read in silence. She mostly read text about an old civilization. Lux thought it was weird but didn't say anything. Everyone had their interests. "She said she needed to talk to me but…" Lux trailed off letting the sentence hang.

"About how you skip out on club all the time?" Diana said off handedly as she took out a book. Lux wanted to say something, but blunt as Diana was, she wasn't wrong. Taking a seat Lux only looked down dejectedly. She hoped Janna didn't want to actually about that. Slowly Lux sighed and started to read. The story went on on the pages but nothing stuck, her head was filled with too much now.

A light sigh echoed in the room as Diana stood up to stretch. "It's late, I'm heading off. See you tomorrow." Lux gave a half hearted goodbye, as she packed her own book away. Guess whatever Janna needed to talk about wasn't that important. Lux looked around the room again and sighed. When she opened the door to leave, she bumped into another person.

"Sorry Diana I was-" Lux looked up and spotted Janna standing before her. "Janna! I thought you weren't coming to club."

"There was something I needed to take care of first, and I needed to talk to you privately."

Lux looked down at her feet.

"Don't worry it's nothing bad." Janna gave Lux a kind smile and gestured for her to sit down. Lux compiled, taking her seat once again. Janna sat across from her. They sat there in silence for a few moments. Lux didn't know what to feel, Diana's words only made Lux worried. Okay so she skipped club more often than not, but it's for a greater good. She couldn't possibly explain that to Janna.

"You needed to be more careful Lux." Janna slide her phone over to Lux, that dang picture Ahri took was staring back at her face.

At this point Lux was nothing but agitated now. "Not you too… I'm not the Star-"

"The First Star would be quite disappointed if you had already blown your cover."

"-Guardian. WHAT?"

Lux stood up took quickly. Her seat skid and clatter across the floor. Janna only smiled.

The silence that hung in the air was palpable. Janna drew her phone back without a single word, not wanting to break the silence that was building thicker by the second. She waited patiently for Lux to calm down. Lux on the other hand felt like she was panicking on the inside. She could run out the door before Janna can say another word, but that would only delay the inevitable talk they would have to have. But what can she say? Lux bit her lip as she eased back down. Only to realize her seat was sprawled on the floor behind her. Sighing she remained standing, head hung low. "How?"

"I awoken to my power a week ago."

"You're a guardian too?"

"Yes."

Well that took a weight off her chest. So much was still unknown to Lux. She knew the First Star protected the worlds she shone her light upon through the guardians she bestowed with her light. The Void was the endless darkness that she had to fight. But the rest was a mystery. If Janna was a guardian herself Lux wasn't alone in this fight. Not anymore. Lux had to laugh a little and smiled at the news. "For a second I thought the worst. If you're here then I finally have back up."

Janna frowned. "My presence isn't good news Lux."

The smile on Lux's face vanished instantly "What do you mean?"

"Multiple guardians are only called in dire circumstances." Janna stood and moved to the sole window in the room. She parted the curtains and let the fading sunlight into the room. Looking out onto the empty court of Valoran High, Janna watched the last of the students leave for their dorm or to catch the last train to their homes. Three in particular caught her attention "The Void has gotten stronger… more and more guardians falls each reincarnation, my awakening is more unsettling"

Lux didn't say anything, she had a feeling Janna had more to say. Janna turned away from the window, "This isn't the first time I awoken on this world… I-" Janna looked away briefly, taking a moment to collect herself, "The First Star wants me to be your guide, to help you recruit other guardians that have yet to awaken and one who… has yet to be shined upon."

Lux took it all in. None of it sounded good. She let the moment hang for a long second. Nodding to herself Lux looked Janna in the eyes. "What's our first move?"

"First we need to-" A loud scream cut into the air cutting Janna off. The two rushed to the window to see the cause of the disturbance. Below the last of the students were scrambling away from a two beings, running as far away from the school as they can. In the center of the courtyard a purple robed figure hovered over a familiar homeroom teacher.

"Ms. Luarent!" Lux pressed her hands against the window and watched as a haze of purple magic wrapped around their teacher's head. Lux and Janna shared a look. No need to voice what they had to do next. They took off out of the room in a sprint.

As they ran down the halls Lux pulled a small pen-like object from her pocket. With a twirl the pen grew into a large baton, pink and with a large golden star on each end, another twirl and it was enveloped by bright magical light. The bright light grew to surround Lux. Her hair spun in two vortexes of light, it dyed her blonde locks into a bright pink and pulled them into twin pigtails before coalescing into a white tiara with a star in the center. The light traveled down, transforming her school shirt and skirt into a sleeveless pink and white sailor uniform with a large purple bow resting on her chest. Finally the light billowed outward wrapping her arms and legs in its transforming light. With a quick burst white gloves and boots adorned her arms and legs.

Lux looked back and saw Janna too had transformed, her own blond hair now a purple and held up by an invisible wind and a shining headband. Her star guardian outfit looked nothing like her school uniform, unlike Lux's. Janna's held an air of elegance, the halterneck was trimmed with gold and clasped by a gold star brooch, the skirt was purple and trailed with two tails that twinkled like the night stars. In her hand was a long staff, on the end was white wings and a hoop of gold with a floating golden star. Unlike Lux, Janna was accompanied by a spirit. It's appearance was a mixture of a weasel and a fox, it had a white coat which turned purple on its long ears and tail.

Lux could only briefly take in the small creatures sudden appearance before the two of them reached school's front doors. There was no one left inside, leaving the two of them as the sole occupants. Their eyes were locked on the masked man, his hands aglow with foul magic, and their school's teacher, whose head was being assaulted with a purple haze. Ms. Laurent too had transformed, her sharp cut women's suit replaced with a white leotard and armored pauldrons. In her hand a thin rapier. Everyone had heard Ms. Laurent was a magnificent fencer before changing professions. Why she was taking up the sword could only be answered by one person.

Lux watched with a narrowed gaze, she hadn't seen the man before but the voidlings at his feet were all too familiar. Lux and Janna hid behind the shoe lockers, taking a moment to assess the situation. With a sideways glance to Janna, Lux asked "I haven't seen this creep before. What has he done to Ms. Laurent?"

"His name is Malzahar. As we are servants to the First Star, he is the servant to the Void. Their own twisted version of a guardian, a 'prophet'." Janna almost spat out the word prophet with so much venom, Lux actually flinched. She had never seen Janna lose her composure before. "His magic creates these nightmarish visions, with it he could control others to do his bidding, transforming them into his minions."

"Ms. Laurent…"

"She will be fine, our purifying light can save her and drive back the void from her mind."

"What's our strategy then?"

"My magic is more supportive in nature, it can hinder Ms. Laurent's movement while we focus our efforts on Malzahar."

"Sounds like a plan"

Lux gave Janna a determined look which she returned twofold.

* * *

The two guardians rushed out of the school, magic charging on their fingertips. They needed to strike as swiftly as possible, the quicker they took out Malzahar the less time they have to fight Ms. Laurent. Neither Lux or Janna wanted to harm their teacher. Their eyes locked onto their opponent's his masked face betraying nothing, not even surprise. With a flick of his wrist three portals opened up, the first two beside Lux and Janna and the third at his own feet.

Lux felt a brief gust of wind on her back, flinging herself forward enough to dodge two slicing orbs of void magic. Lux landed on her knees, skidding forward as she scrambled onto her hands. She looked behind her for a moment to see Janna halted in her charge waiting for the magic before her to dissipate. Janna pointed in front of Lux, frantically trying to bring the younger guardian's attention to the fight.

Lux barely rolled out of the way and onto her feet as a sharp clawed appendage struck down into the dirt where her head was a second ago. The voidling let out a high pitched screech as it reeled back for another attack. Lux whipped her baton forward, shielding herself with a prismatic barrier, her arms braced out in front and her eyes clenched tight. The impact pushed Lux back and she had to steady her feet under her or else fall back over. Backstepping, Lux forced them to break apart putting enough space between the Voidling and herself. Janna stepped next Lux, her staff held at the ready. _So much for our first strike._

Malzahar hovered higher in the air, his distorted laugh echoed around the empty courtyard.

"Guardian… I had a hunch you were here." His masked face drifted from Lux to Janna, "Ah, we meet again _my_ favorite guardian."

Janna's fist clenched tight on her staff, her knuckles going white from the strain. Lux sent a worried glance to Janna, then focused back onto Malzahar. "Let Ms. Laurent go!"

"Hmmm, no, no I don't think I will." Malzahar moved slowly, putting himself behind Ms. Laurent. The homeroom teacher stepped up and held her sword at the ready. "My masters have grown tired of your meddling… and voidlings could only accomplish so much."

Janna stepped to the side, circling around to the other side of the Void Prophet, leaving a small vortex to grow where her feet. Malzahar only laughed.

"Now, none of that" He sent the voidlings to rush at Janna, who had to set her spell off early. A small whirlwind shot out from her previous position, throwing the voidlings into the air and dispersing their forms back to the void from whence they came. "We've done this dance before _my_ guardian," The way his voice held the word 'my' for a second too long sent a chill up Lux's spine. She could only see the pure resentment on Janna's face. There must be more to the Janna's history that she isn't telling. "Now my minion, attack the guardians."

Ms. Laurent lunged forward, her steps a rhythmic tempo as she zig-zagged towards Lux. Lux attention was too split between Malzahar and Janna to see the attack and had barely dodged the rapier. The rapier bit into Lux's arm, slicing a long ugly scar on her skin. If the blade had struck an inch or two to the right, it might have hit something vital. Lux almost lost her grip on her baton but held firm. "Ms. Laurent! Please stop." The words only bounced off her former teacher, leaving no effect. The former teacher eyes were glossed over, only purple orbs stared back at the student. Lux couldn't stare too long into them, it was the void infecting her teacher's mind.

The teacher growled, as her flurry of blows continued. Each cut hitting too close for comfort. Lux scrambled back, trying to create enough space between her and her teacher. Lux sent out a powerful binding spell, only for Ms. Luarent to deflect the spell with a simple parry. The act was enough to stun Lux in surprise, missing the following riposte. She was only saved when a torrent of wind enveloped her shielding her from the thrust. "I'm sorry!" With the opening Lux sent ball of light to explode right in her face. The force sent Ms. Laurent falling backwards, landing hard at the feet of the prophet.

Janna rushed to the close the gap, "Zephyr!" the spirit that floated near Janna shot forward with impressive speed. The spirit circled around Ms. Laurent, "Keep her distracted!" Janna focus turned to Malzahar. Her fury building a storm at her feet.

Lux joined her fellow guardian. Her baton twirled in her hands, the magic building up for another binding spell.

Malzahar hands glowed and ripped open another portal. The Voidlings rushed out, rabbid and hungry. They lunged at Lux and Janna, the two of them separating to dodge the attacks. Janna let loose another howling gale, it sent their numbers scattering around the courtyard. Lux shot her own magic light, binding two voidlings to the ground. With them pinned Lux sent a ball of light to finish them off in an explosion.

Too distracted with the voidlings, Lux missed the two portals opening beside her, the void magic rushed through her being before Lux can raise a barrier spell. The pain almost paralyzed her, the spell died on her lips and Lux stumbled back. It felt like her magic was caught in her throat, and she could only watch as Janna looked to Lux in worry, unaware that Ms. Laurent had finally shook off the annoying spirit. Throwing Zephyr down onto the ground unconscious.

Acting on instinct, Lux flung herself forward, pushing Janna aside and felt the rapier pierce her shoulder. The pain was too much, Lux couldn't keep her grip on the baton. It clattered to the ground at her feet. Lux weakly held up her hand as a poor effort to stop Ms. Laurent as she planted her foot onto her chest, using the added leverage to rip the rapier free. Lux grit her teeth, not wanting to scream. She won't show any weakness to this scumbag. Lux hit the ground hard, the small rocks below cut into her cheek.

Malzahar laughed, the bastard laughed at the fallen guardian. "Like old times. Right, _my_ guardian?" More voidlings spawned at his feet, ready to swarm Lux and Janna.

 _No, not again… not again!_ With rage in her eyes, Janna stood up and slammed her staff into the ground. A monsoon of wind ripped around Janna, pushing all voidlings around her up and away from her and Lux.

Ms. Laurent dug her sword into the ground and held herself firm, kneeling down in the effort. Once the wind died down Ms. Laurent eased back into her proper stance. Unfazed by the sudden spell.

Malzahar flew back, controlling his fall before he hit ground. He landed on his hands and feet, skidding back momentarily. He stood and looked at his hands, scowling that he had gotten dirty during their fight. He clapped his hands together, brushing the dirt from his gloves as he hovered off the ground again. "That was new."

Both were unaware of Lux. She felt the magic in the wind. Not the force that brushed Janna's enemies away, but the healing magic inside. The wound on Lux's shoulder closed almost immediately, and she felt herself fill with strength. Slowly, as to not give away her intentions, she reached out and grasped her baton in her hand.

"Valiant effort, but I know what you're capable of." Malzahar looked down on Janna, his hovering form was an intimidating presence. "Your spells can't beat me. The Void is inevitable."

Janna didn't care what Malzahar said. She would continue to fight him even at the cost of herself. She had to… The First Star bestowed her these gifts and she will use them, because she can't fail. Not again. Janna felt the wind coalesced at her feet again. "You weren't successful last time, and you won't be this time. The First Star will stop the Void here and everywhere else."

Malzahar laughed, "Last time? Clearly you had forgotten what happened…" He reached up and pulled the low hanging hood off his head, revealing his eyes. The mere sight would haunt any who saw into them. Where others had eyes, he had nothing. Literal voids in each socket that ate anything that dare gazed into them for too long, they didn't even hold any color. "The Void consumes all it touches. Let me remind you _my_ guardian" Magic started to build up in his soulless eyes.

Janna didn't wait, all too familiar of the spell he was getting ready to unleash. She let loose of the wind below her and sent a howling gale toward him. Malzahar laughed as Ms. Laurent came between them, her sword cutting into the wind, dispersing the spell easily. Janna stood firm, bracing herself for the pain that would shortly follow. If she can withstand the duration of the spells effects, she can maybe buy enough time for Lux to get back onto her feet and away from this monster.

But to the surprise of everyone, Lux sprang to her feet as soon as Ms. Laurent cut the whirlwind in half.

Everything moved in slow motion after that. Ms. Laurent tried in vain to reel back her sword into position to parry. Janna slowly looking away from Malzahar to Lux, utter surprise on her face, not knowing what to do. And Malzahar split his attention between the two guardians, indecisive to which guardian to target his spell at. That tiny bit of hesitation was all Lux needed. In quick succession Lux shot out two spells.

The first flew through Ms. Laurent and into Malzahar, pinning them to the ground. The magical light encircling him restricted his movement. The second was an orb, a lucent singularity, it flew towards his face and burst in explosive force. His sight was filled in blinding light, the spell he was building up petered out, as he tried to rub the spots out from his 'eyes'. He regain his sight in time to see Lux, her baton spinning freely in front of her. The magic light building up in the center was pure white, there weren't even any shadows cast from it, it eliminated all darkness around her. Malzahar let out a curse as the spell shot out, a beam of searing light surrounding his body.

"Final Spark!" Lux yelled, the spell left a beacon in evening sky. Malzahar's being faded into nothing, as his body dissolved from the light. The effort left Lux weak and out of breath. Using her Baton as support, Lux eased herself onto a knee. Her eyes went to see Janna's who eyes were wide. "I-"

Lux felt Janna crush her in a hug, her large staff clattered to the ground next to them. After the initial shock washed over her Lux returned the hug. Janna, pulled away, her hands still resting on Lux's shoulders. With a heavy sigh Janna smiled "You're okay…"

"Y-yes. That spell of yours. It healed me. I-" Lux looked away and to where Malzahar was no longer. Her breath caught in her throat. She sprang to her feet, her baton held back up at the ready "Where did he go?"

"Gone… He has a nasty habit of shifting planes, escaping back to the void at the last second." Janna picked up her staff and stood next to Lux. She laid a hand on Lux's shoulder, who relaxed at the touch. "Let's see to our teacher."

Ms. Laurent was transformed back to her normal clothes. Her Woman's suit wasn't even scratched. The purple haze of magic around her head dissipated, and her eyes had regained their natural color. The woman blinked and groaned. Quickly before she woke Lux and Janna transformed their own clothes to the school uniforms they wore normally. Ms. Laurent snapped to attention as she woke up from her daze, all too quickly she sat up almost knocking heads with Lux.

"Ms. Laurent!"

Holding a hand to her head Ms. Laurent rubbed her temples. "Crownguard? What are you- what happened." the teacher took a moment to see she was laying on the ground, and two students hovered over her worriedly.

Janna stepped over, offering a hand to help the fallen teach back to her feet. "We were in the lit club's room when we saw you collapse."

"We rushed out here as quickly as we could." Lux added without missing a beat.

With the help from the two Ms. Laurent got back to her feet. Steadying herself, she took a tentative step. She didn't feel dizzy. "Sorry to worry you girls… perhaps Mr. Ziggs experiment was a little more jarring than I had thought."

"Do you need help getting home?"

Ms. Laurent waved them off, "No, don't trouble yourselves. I'll take the day off tomorrow and rest. Thank you girls. You two should get home too, no need to make your parents worry" She walked off, waving a final goodbye to the students.

When the teacher was out of sight Lux let out a sigh, relieved that it was all over. _For now._ That last thought worried Lux. Malzahar was still out there, and nothing said he was going to stop any time soon. Janna seeing the concerned look on Lux's face wrapped an arm around the younger girl. Lux looked to Janna and smiled, small as the gesture was it helped. She wasn't alone in this.

"Tomorrow we'll look for our fellow Guardians."

That brought a bigger smile on Lux's face. She could only nod enthusiastically. As bad as it was, everything was now looking up.

* * *

This morning Yasuo was in the classroom when the bell rang, actually he was there just until the bell rang. Once the chime sounded, and everyone got in their seats, he slapped a familiar near blank piece of paper onto the chalkboard and walked out again. No one had to guess what it said this time. Some people were surprised they got 'self study' time two days in a row, but news about Ms. Laurent's condition circulated quickly. Lux, already anticipating how class will go, brought her textbook out and began reading. This time she was not going to get lost in her thought.

"Lu~ux" Lux did not like the way Ahri sung her name. "You will not believe what happened."

Sighing, Lux closed her book and lazily met Ahri in the eyes. Her expression half lidded and not at all interested. "Wha-"

"What happened was something totally crazy. I was here late at school last night." Lux's eyes widened at this. She sould feel the sweat building up on her next. "Cause I got stuck doing-, actually that doesn't matter. What matters is that I saw the Star Guardian again. But she wasn't alone this time!" Ahri brought out her phone. The many charms on the phone clacked together annoyingly. There on the screen wasn't actually a photo this time, it was a video. "You have to see this."

There before Lux's eyes was the battle she had fought only yesterday. It was a few moments after their initial charge. The scene played out shakily as video Ahri inched her way closer and closer. Lux winced when she saw herself get stabbed. _Had the sword actually gone all the way through like that?_ Lux shuddered at the thought. Then another thought came up _, This was close to the end of the fight. If she caught us transforming back to normal…_ Lux watched intently now. Janna's monsoon hurled everything away, even video Ahri toppled over. For a few seconds only the sky was shown. When it readjusted there was a voidling taking up the whole view. Quickly Lux glanced to Ahri, she looked okay so nothing bad must've happened. The video Ahri screamed and ran. The video shook, and the scenery changed from floor to walls and back to floor. Steadying the video, video Ahri moved the phone so that she was seen in screen being chased by the voidling. " _Mom! If you see this-"_ Quickly Ahri fast forwarded the video, skipping ahead to where Ahri had outran the Voidling and was taunting it behind a steel fence. Lux had to laugh at the last bit.

"What was that little moment?"

Flustered Ahri dismissed Lux's question. "That doesn't matter, I didn't have time to like edit the video." Composing herself quickly, Ahri looked at Lux with a knowing smirk, "What matters was that I was totally right. Like, the Star Guardian is someone from school. And I think I know who~" Ahri sang the last word and looked at Lux. Lux was biting her lip. Ahri leaned in close, so she could whisper. "You're totally her, aren't you? Don't worry I can keep a secret."

Lux gulped. She was about to say something but suddenly everyone's attention was draw to the windows.

Poppy, the uptight little yordle was waving an arm frantically for everyone to window. She wasn't one to draw attention to herself, so her action was catching everyone by surprise. "You guys look!" She was pointing hurriedly out the window.

Ahri and Lux moved to the over crowded window. Ahri elbowed her fellow classmates when they leaned in too close to her. Her glare sent anyone else close to step away. With enough room, Ahri looked out the window unhindered, and what she saw made her press her face up uncomfortably close. Her hands pressed solidly against the glass as her eyes watched the figure walking out of the school's courtyard. A pink figure. "The. The Star Guardian. She's right there…" Quickly Ahri bolted away from window and rushed out of the classroom. Lux looked down at the Guardian and smiled.

 _Hours Earlier_

" _Lux, good morning" Janna waved to Lux._

 _Lux returned the greeting, with a gentle bow to her upperclassmen. "Morning"_

" _It's a good thing I saw you before class. We were interrupted last night and I couldn't tell you about those pictures Ahri took."_

 _Lux sighed. "I already know of those pictures…"_

" _No I mean what we will do about them." Janna smiled and stepped in line next to Lux. "Magic can create surprisingly realistic illusions. Especially light magic." With a subtle wink, Janna told Lux of her plan._

In the courtyard the Star Guardian was almost through the school gates when a piercing yell called out to her. "Wait!" The Guardian turned around, and saw Ahri running full sprint to her. She returned a small waved and vanished around the corner. A few seconds later, Ahri reached the gate, but when she looked around the corner she saw nothing there. Everyone at the windows saw her little tantrum that morning as she stubbornly stomped her way back to school. Lux laughed at the sight. And a second later, other joined her too. Guess the bet was off now.

* * *

 _The Twisting Nether called the Void_

Malzahar sat within his swirling haze of magic he called home. Nothing took shape within the mass. Everything only held small vague shapes that only hinted of their purpose. With a heavy breath Malzahar eased himself forward. The mass of magic in front of him swirled around, forming a circle. A picture came to life inside the circle, a high school with many faces crowding the windows. Malzahar clenched his fist tight, and lashed out at the image.

" _You've been making poor progress"_ A voice low and menacing called to the prophet.

"A minor setback"

" _You always hesitate with this one…"_ The circle of magic reformed, this time showing another classroom within the school. The image zoomed in and focus on a tall slender blonde, " _Playing too much with your prey are you?"_

"You are one to talk you annoying insect!" Malzahar whipped around, only to be met with a scythe pressed hard against his neck pinning him to the wall. Luckily it was the blunt end and only choked the prophet. He grasped uselessly on the limb, gasping for air. "This-" He wheezed, and sucked in air through his restricted throat. "This mission is mine, I will complete it my way."

The scythe let his body drop. Malzahar was on all fours massaging his neck. He could barely hold his head up to meet the gaze of the void creature. " _Remember your place. HUMAN. You are a servant to the void, not a commander of it."_ The creature walked away after its threat.

Malzahar looked up at the moving image of Janna. He held out a gentle hand caressing a cheek that wasn't really there. "You will be mine, then the void can have your world."

* * *

A/N: And that's a rap. See you all soon. Love you bye.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own League of Legends. But it would be a _Riot_ if I did!

…I'm sorry.

A/N: Bad pun aside, I am really happy to update this fic as soon as I did. I tried to write this chapter as fast as I can. I'm still figuring out how the plot will go (The overall structure is there, just gotta fill in all the juicy bits), but I wanted to set up as many sub-plots as I can as early as I can without making the story too bogged down.

With that said, on with the show~!

* * *

"That's great! If we know who the other guardians are already we just have to go and 'wake them up'." Lux said between mouthfuls, air quoting with her fingers. She had taken up eating in the Lit Club's room with Janna. As much as she loved her brother, Lux needed to find her own social circle. She couldn't keep clinging to her brother all year after all. Especially how he not so subtly kept changing seats so she had to sit next to Jarven, oblivious to Shyvana's sharp glare. It was getting kind of awkward. A few days had passed since Malzahar's attack on her school, so Lux took the time to transition away from sitting with Garen to sitting with Janna in the Lit Club, and assuring Shyvana she wasn't interested in Jarven. Janna was a fellow guardian and was easy to talk to, so naturally Lux wanted to get to know her more. She wanted to be more than teammates. She wanted to be friends.

"I'm afraid it's not that easy…" Janna paused and took a tiny sip from her teacup, her fingers held the cup so gently in her hand. Like it would break any moment. Janna had always liked drinking her tea with an actual tea set and not through a thermos. So she had kept a water boiler and tea set in the room for such occasions. It made staying late with a book so much nicer, especially later in the year when it was the cooler seasons. When she graduates she might just leave the set behind for her underclassmen to use.

 _She drinks so daintily._ Lux thought.

"It's not enough to just know who our fellow guardians are, they themselves need to accept the call. Deep inside. We need to help them see the light that shines on them." Janna looked down at her tea. The reflection of her face swirled in the ripples. "When I reawoken it was because I saw you as the guardian, and knew no one should fight this battle alone. When the First Star shone on me again, it resonated that same sentiment. That I should guide you and be by your side as you lead us against the Void."

"Lead?" Lux put her chopsticks down, leaving the last of her food untouched. "You're the more experienced guardian here, you should be leader."

"No." Janna politely shook her head. "I've had my time in the light as a leader, it is now my duty to pass that torch onto you. I know you are uncertain, but you were chosen to be a guardian for a reason."

Lux bit her lip, her eyes cast down staring at her food. "If you say so… it's just. It's-" Lux took a breath before looking up. "You know a lot more. Way more than I do. How do you know I won't just fail?" Lux rubbed her shoulder sheepishly. Though the wound had long since healed, and no trace of damage was left, not even a scar, Lux still felt a sharp pain of the sword piercing its way through.

Janna watched Lux, the younger girl was very self conscious. Maybe not in the way others were, such as with their looks, but in a way that she doesn't want to let anyone down. She may not know it, but that strong conviction was what will make her a great leader. Hopefully better than Janna... "Lux," Janna's voice was calm and soothing, bringing the underclassmen's eyes back up. Off of her self doubts and onto Janna. "Your shoulder. Do you think a good leader would have done the same? Jumped in the way of danger to save an ally?"

Lux nodded slowly. "I couldn't just stand there."

"And I agree." Janna took another sip of tea, "You already shown you have the traits of a strong leader." Janna looked at Lux with the softest and kindest eyes, "You'll do fine."

"Thank you.." She needed the reassurance, and was grateful for it. She picked up her chopstick, ready to start eating again. If Janna believed in her, then she will too. Like Janna said, she was chosen for this after all. "So who are we looking for? The other guardians that is. You said there were three more."

Janna hummed in thought. She knew who the First Star had chosen, and agreed that they would make excellent guardians. Even if one in particular would disagree. Poppy would be a strong ally to add, she was capable athlete and always stuck to her beliefs. Though she had a thing about acknowledging those strengths, she was never one to admit to her own skill, downplaying them so others looked better. Lulu would be the easiest to recruit. Her eccentric nature lent itself to magic. She very seldom listened to others opinions, choosing to see the world differently and walk her own path. Janna wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't already aware of the magic in her to some extent. The last guardian would be the trickiest. Because she wasn't a guardian before. Her previous lives were that of the mundane. Jinx would have to be saved for last, her personality was too unpredictable to approach without a plan.

"We'll focus on one for now. Do you know Poppy?"

* * *

Lux sat in class, her face pulled into tight concentration. Class wasn't hard per se, her parents had boasted of her prodigious intellect when she used to go to Demacia Prep, it was just that her mind kept wandering over to the yordle two rows back. How was she suppose to approach Poppy? She couldn't just come right over and say _Hey guess what you have magical powers~!_ The pigtailed yordle would think she's crazy. She needed to do this today. Okay maybe not today, but as soon as possible. Janna told Lux that Malzahar already knew who they were, their secret identities only relevant to the people they protected, and would not hesitate to strike when they least expect it. They didn't know if the Void underling's knowledge extended to who the other guardians were, but that's a risk Lux was not willing to take.

"Miss Crownguard." Lux looked to the board, where a complicated math problem waited to be solve. "Please step up to the board and solve for X and Y, while I copy down the next equation." Professor Ryze kept his gaze level as he watched Lux scoot out of her seat. He turned back to the board and wrote down the problem exactly how it appeared in the textbook.

Lux made it two steps before a leg stuck itself out into her path. There was a loud clash as Lux caught herself on another student's desk, startling the unaware occupant. A few snickers escaped into the silent classroom. Lux righted herself and looked back to see Jinx playfully looking innocent, her eyes looking up staring at the ceiling as if she wasn't the cause of Lux's stumble.

"Miss Crowngaurd?" Professor Ryze paused his writing to look at Lux. His brow raised.

"Sorry sir, I just- uh. It's nothing. Sorry." Lux pursed her lips and sent an annoyed looked back to the blue haired delinquent. Jinx returned it with a silent raspberry and a smirk. _What's her problem?_

Lux solved the problem quickly and returned to her seat, without any more trouble from Jinx. Right as she sat down the evening bell chimed.

"Ah, is it time already?" Ryze closed the book in his hand and readjusted his glasses. Sure enough the clock said it was the end of class. He must be getting on in his years. "Everyone please stand. And bow." The students did as instructed, thanking their teacher for his time. And in some cases his patience. Ryze smiled and gestured to the corner of the board where a few names were listed. "Thank you, and remember your school duties, I'll see you all tomorrow." The old teacher left the classroom, letting the class go free. Everyone started to pack their stuff away, talking to each other about what to do now that school is over. Lux put away her textbook, notebook, and pencils away. When she got out of her seat she almost ran head first into Jinx. Lux fell back into her chair and watched her classmate race down the hall, not even acknowledging her accident.

"Jinx wait! You're suppose to help me on cleaning duty!" Quinn yelled to the retreating form. The girl grumbled and started on her duties alone.

Lux rolled her eyes, some people were just annoying to deal with she guessed. Lux stood and started to text Garen that she'll be staying late at club again and not to wait up for her after his practice. He was captain of Valoran High's basketball team. Now that classes have ended maybe she can talk to Poppy, and then wing it from there. Casually come up to her and start talking. Lux doesn't have to bring up anything about the star guardians, not yet at least. Just talk about… things. This might be harder than she thought. Lux hefted her school bag onto her shoulder and looked around her class. The tips of Poppy's pigtails just leaving the door frame. Not wanting to miss the yordle, Lux squeezed through her fellow students to get to the back of the class. She kept her eyes on the hallway, unaware of where she was going.

Her legs got tangled in another's and she fell down. Arms wrapped around her to keep her from crashing down onto the floor. _Dang it, am I just going to bump into everyone today?_ Lux looked up to see who caught her. The most gorgeous blue eyes were looking down at her. She couldn't help but stare as recognition of who the eyes belonged to filled her head. _Oh, man. Why did it have to be him..._ The eyes darted away, breaking eye contact briefly before looking back again. An embarrassed chuckle floated down to her ears, and it colored her cheeks red. Only now had she realized how the boy had caught her, from the outside perspective it looked like she was being dipped like in one of those romantic movie posters. They stayed like that far longer than either of them should have, looking into each other's eyes.

"Ooo~, moving pretty quick aren't-cha Ez?" Ahri catcalled on the other end of the class, causing a few others to laugh. She had a teasing smirk on her face, knowing she caused the blushes on their faces to brightened.

"W-what, n-no I-"

"I-it's not. It w-was-

Both Ezreal and Lux stammered, as he helped her back to her feet. He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. She hid behind her bag, red coloring her face all the way to the tips of her ears.

"Sorry L-"

"It's fine!" Lux said a little too loudly. "I mean, it's fine. I liked it- ah I-I mean. I have to go, uh get going. To club. That is." Lux ran out of the room as fast as she could, leaving a flustered Ezreal.

She had made it all the way to the Lit Club's room before Lux's mind cleared enough to remember she had forgotten to talk to Poppy. With a groan, Lux lightly hit her head against the club room's door, why was she so easily distracted. Lux sighed and slid the door open. Janna was already inside, and so was Diana. Seemed like talking about star guardian plans would have to wait for now. Which Lux was okay with. She had yet to make progress with Poppy anyhow.

Another student was also inside, a mystery novel laid flat in front of he. Her straight brown hair hung long around her face as she leaned over her book. While Caitlyn was a member of the Lit Club, her duties as head of the Disciplinary Committee kept her busy most of the time. The 'Sheriff' as many had nicknamed her kept everyone in school in line. No one had ran a tighter ship since Vice Principal Kayle went to Valoran High herself years prior.

Lux smiled and said a quiet hello to everyone. Janna and Caitlyn returned it with their own smile. Diana just waved without taking her eyes off her book. Setting her bag down Lux walked over to the shelves. She had finished her last book, and was looking for one on the shelf she had started yesterday. Pulling it free, Lux sat down and looked at the cover. _Ugh, I forgot it was a romance novel…_ On the cover was a man, practically naked, holding a women in a impractically long flowing dress. Lux's cheeks started to burn as she remembered Ezreal's eyes staring into her own. For a second it was her and him on the cover of the book. Lux shook the thought out of her mind before it could grow any further and cracked the book open. Her place was bookmarked from where she last left off, thankfully it wasn't in the middle of a 'heated' scene.

It was nice and quiet as everyone relaxed into their reading, at some point Janna had poured everyone a cup of tea. Lux's sat untouched, too absorbed in her book to take a break. Surprisingly Lux had actually forgotten about her literal run in with Ezreal, the drama of the characters telling their own personal story had captured her attention.

That was ruined when a hurried but polite knock came from the door.

The door creaked open as a urgent voice called from the other side. "Uh Caitlyn? Poppy said you'd be in here-" Ezreal stopped himself when he locked eyes with Lux. She hoped he didn't look too carefully at the book in her hands. "Ah uh," Clearing his throat he forced his attention over to Caitlyn. "Caitlyn. There's a problem. Vi and Darius are going at it in the gym. Coach Braum can't break them up and they might end up actually fighting. Vi only listens to you once she gets angry, so…"

"I'll be right there." Caitlyn had her stuff already packed away as soon as Vi was mentioned. She excused herself and left without another word, leaving Ezreal standing at the doorway.

"Um, Lux. You should probably go too. Garen's there trying to get Darius to stop, but you know how the two of them can be." More than once, Garen and Darius had butted head. They had a heated rivalry that stretched all the way back to the beginning of middle school. No one knew what really started it, but everyone knows not to get in between them. Especially when their harsh words turned physical.

Lux nodded, she looked to Janna, sharing an unsaid word to meet after she was done. She left her bag and book at the table and went out the door, slipping past Ezreal. The blonde boy stepped alongside Lux as he joined her down the hall. He didn't say anything, knowing it's better to keep quiet than open his mouth. Besides he was more worried about his friend at the moment. Vi knew how to throw a mean right cross, but she also didn't know when to back out a fight. She's strong, but Darius is an asshole.

* * *

The two of them quickly made it down to the gym. The large building stood separate from the others, placed so it was adjacent to the track and open field used for outdoor sports but near enough for classes to use. A small crowd was already forming at the gym's large double doors, news traveled fast at this school. Caitlyn was in the thick of it trying to push her way through, she was able to break free once she reached the doorway. The crowd had yet to spill into the building. The students that parted when they saw the school's Sheriff, but closed ranks when Lux and Ezreal step closer. Their attention was too wrapped in the drama and they wanted the best seats possible. It was a school and school fights drew a lot of attention. Lux's short height kept her from seeing over the people. Ezreal had trouble seeing too, his height wasn't that much taller than Lux's. _Ugh. Move people._ Lux stuck an arm between two people before their bodies pushed her back out. She hopped up onto her tip toes, just barely seeing over the crowd.

From the sound of things Darius and Vi were both yelling over each other. Lux could barely spot them through the throngs of people. Caitlyn had already made it to the two teens. She was saying something directed at Vi, her voice was inaudible to those watching in the crowd. There was also Coach Braum, his towering figure acting as the only shield standing between the two.

Ezreal was also on trying his best to peek over the crowd. From his point of view, it looked like Vi was already half cocked and ready to start throwing punches, her mind practically made up. "C'mon, let's see if we can get around through the locker rooms." Ezreal jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. Gesturing to the side of the building.

Lux looked passed Ezreal and to the signs, one for boys and the other for girls. She glanced back at Ezreal, her brows knit together judging him.

Ezreal waved his hands in front of him, dissuading Lux's thought. "We won't go in the same one obviously!"

"Yeah ok." Lux said after a pause. "I didn't see my brother in there, hopefully he doesn't do anything rash."

The two broke off from the crowd and ran around the corner to the locker room. Ezreal ducked into the boy's locker room, while Lux ran further up ahead to the girls'. She stopped after she spotted a creature sneaking around the far end of the building. Subconsciously she felt for the pen sized baton through her pocket. Not wanting to take the chance she raced to end of the building. Skidding to a halt when she rounded the corner, her arms came up in a fighting stance.

It was a squirrel…

Lux let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. _I'm just being paranoid._ She watched the squirrel momentarily, lowering her arms back down to her sides. Then she trotted back where she came to head into the locker room.

Unbeknownst to the young guardian there in fact was someone watching. In the upper floors of the school building, a gangly teen with with thick glasses and greasy brown hair looked on. His eyes trailed Lux to the locker room then down the rest of the building to the now growing crowd. Making sure the coast was clear, he opened the window and ripped open a small portal to the void. A miniature voidling stepped through. It landed on all fours, adjusting itself so it can look up at its master from the window sill. "Go see what has the young guardian distracted… and see if you can't 'help' things along." He tapped the voidling on the head, infecting it with a misty haze of foul magic. The voidling bristled at the tickling sensation the magic left on its carapace, enjoying the feeling. The teen watched his minion jump from the window, the void magic that surrounded it left an arcing trail. It landed on the hard ground and scurried off, looking for an open window to climb through. The teen smiled as he turned down the hall, a new plan forming in his head.

Lux could feel the tension in the air when she entered the gym. She spotted Ezreal who was at the edge of all of it. Things have calmed down at the moment, Caitlyn was able to pull Vi away creating a lull in the argument. On either side of the gym was two teams dressed up for practice. One side was Vi and the girl's team, on the other was Darius and Garen and the rest of the boy's team. Each side were glaring daggers at the other. Lux tapped Ezreal on the shoulder grabbing his attention.

"So what's going on, and where did Coach Braum go?" She almost didn't want to say anything. Afraid that she might break whatever is holding this tentative truce.

"The girl's team has the gym scheduled for their practice but the boy's came and interrupted it. claiming they had the gym scheduled for their own practice." Ezreal said, pointing to Vi and Darius. "Neither wants to give up the time slot to the other team. Coach Braum just left to find the documents to settle the whole thing, he took Poppy, she's part of the athletics committee, to help him."

"It's a load of bull, Cupcake and you know it!" Vi could be heard clearly in the crowded gymnasium. Caitlyn had a firm hand on her arm, trying to calm the pink haired girl down. Vi bit down the rest of her words, forcing her voice to lower. "They had the gym for three days in a ROW. We have a game coming up and we need to practice!" Though it wasn't aimed at the boy's team, they couldn't help but overhear.

"If you want to practice use the courts outside!" Darius' own loud voice yelled back from over his shoulder.

"You serious? The hoops outside are total garbage. No one can play on those!" Vi pushed her way up closer, Caitlyn's hold had tightened again in case Vi did something rash. Like she always did. What she said was true though, the school had more than one court for their students, the ones located outside the gym were open for public use. Allowing other students who weren't part of the school's team to play freely if they chose to, they were actually shorter than regulation height to encourage it. Sadly they were poorly maintained. The rims were bent after too many students climbed atop of them, actually one was so ruined a ball couldn't even fit through it anymore. Vi grit her teeth and went back to talking to Caitlyn. The brunette lent her empathetic ear and nodded along to Vi's venting.

Lux spotted her brother standing beside Darius and inched her way closer. She nudged him in the side to get his attention. He turned and was surprised when he saw his little sister. "Lux?"

"I heard what's going on." Lux said, gesturing to cold war between the two teams.

Garen shook his head, frustration clear on his face. He leaned in so only Lux could hear, "Uh yeah. I don't like Darius' method, but my team had the gym reserved for our practice. I can't give up the gym, what would the rest of the guys think if I went back on my decision like that."

Darius turned to Garen, the large teen was visibly impatient. Being unable to practice on a court they clearly reserved, because some girls didn't want to leave and wait for a teacher to tell them to shove off was riding on his last nerve. He was fed up with Vi's bullheaded stubbornness. "Can you believe this bitch?" Darius said far louder than he must've intended, cause even his teammates flinched at his words.

"What did you call me!?" Vi broke out from her group and grabbed Darius by the collar. Vi was only a few inches shorter than Darius, but the way she pulled him down so she could see him face to face, made people think otherwise. The sudden action dominoed into Lux pushing her down and out of the ensuing fight. Vi and Darius were at each other's throats now. It made the previous argument look like a calm discussion over tea. Everyone was in the fray, either egging them on or trying to stop the fight. Lux could even see Garen in the thick of it, his focus was on Darius for pushing Vi over the edge.

Ezreal came over and helped Lux to her feet. He watched on, not knowing what to do. It looked like even Caitlyn was having trouble now. "You alright?"

Lux nodded, and brushed her skirt down smooth. _At least things can't get any worse._ It's a good thing she only thought that, and not said it aloud… Right?

A small voidling crawled along the rafters, hidden from everyone's view, watching and waiting for it's moment.

* * *

The Lit Club's room was quiet. As it should be. Janna's eyes flicked to a new page, unwilling to look away. She reached for her tea cup, it felt too light in her grasp and Janna noticed that it was empty. Tiny flecks of leftover tea leaves littered the bottom. Looking to the other occupant in the room, she noticed her cup was also empty. "Diana, do you want more tea?" She asked softly, not wishing to break the silence.

Diana's gaze flitted upward from her book then back down to her tea cup. "No thanks." She checked her phone scanning the time and if she had any missed texts, "I should actually head out early today. I promised Leona and Pantheon I would meet up with them to hang out."

Janna nodded. "I'll clean up then. You can go ahead." She should leave early today too, maybe check on Lux and drop her things off for her. She stood and began collecting the cups, wiping them down and putting them back onto the shelf she used to store them.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." Diana slid the tea cup over to Janna, it was the least she could do. She picked up her book and stuffed it into her bag. "Bye." Quietly she tucked her chair in and slid the door open. Almost bumping into a tall teen she hadn't seen before. "Ah, excuse me." Diana squeaked at his sudden appearance. He had his hand up ready to knock on the door, only putting it down slowly after he noticed the door had opened.

"It's okay." the guy said as he adjusted his glasses and brushed his greasy hair out of his eyes. He stepped aside and let Diana pass him. She looked back for a second, wondering who he was. Was there someone like him in their class?

Once Diana was on her way the guy leaned halfway into the room. "Excuse me," He rapped his knuckles on the door frame. "Sorry for intruding."

Janna had paused in her cleaning, setting Diana's cup down on the shelf, to look at the door. "It's alright, um-"

"Ala'aldeen"

"Ah, I remember… from class 3-C, correct?" He seemed familiar.

Ala'aldeen slipped into the room, sliding the door closed behind him. "Yes. Hehe kind of surprised anyone remembers me. I'm out sick most days." He saw a look of concern brushed onto Janna's face. How he loved how she looked. She cared for everyone, even for someone like himself. "Because of my anemia." Ala'aldeen clarified, easing Janna's concern. "It's fine so long as I don't exert myself."

Janna smiled. "Well this is the literature club, you'll be just fine." She laughed lightly.

It was small joke, but it made Ala'aldeen's heart jump into his throat. He held a hand to his chest as he took a step closer. He was so close her, together in this room with _his_ guardian. With the other guardian distracted he had Janna all to himself. And if Janna was too busy, she wouldn't be able to help the young guardian. So long as he kept her here with him. He noticed her lips moving, but hadn't heard what she said. "I'm sorry, just felt a little dizzy. What did you say?"

"I wanted to know what you were doing here, but if you're not feeling well," Janna stood up from her seat. She held out a hand, offering aid if he wanted to take it. She felt bad, only seconds before she had made light of his condition. "I can take you to the infirmary instead. Ms. Soraka might still be there."

"No, it's alright-" Ala'aldeen thought better of his situation. If he could take Janna to the other side of the school the better. He took a step inside, then faked a stumble. Hastily he grabbed Janna's hand and a empty chair to steady himself. Her hand was in his, _her skin is so soft_. The mere touch sent a trickle of excitement up his arm and into his body. Sadly he knew she felt none of the things he did. Her heart wouldn't race like his, not yet at least. He will have to change that. Chuckling weakly, Ala'aldeen looked up to Janna. His dark brown eyes lingering on her own. "-actually on second thought, that would be nice."

Janna adjusted her grip on his hand and pulled him up. She raised her other hand to rest on his shoulder in a way that so that he may lean on her if he need to. "You're quite lucky. Had you come a few minutes later the room would have been empty." Janna smiled down at him, helping him out of the room and into the hall.

"Is it ironic if that was what I wanted?" Ala'aldeen paused to take an unneeded laboured breath. He kept pace with Janna, allowing her to guide him further into the school, and farther from her fellow guardian. "I wanted to see if the lit club's small collection had a book I was looking for. I didn't want to disturb anyone while I rooted around for it."

"It wouldn't have been any trouble. What book is it? Maybe I could find it for you later."

"No, no. I'm already troubling you too much as it is." There wasn't any book to begin with.

"Oh ok..." Janna's voice was small, but accepting. "If you're sure." She didn't want to see her fellow student collapse just because he didn't want to intrude on her club's space.

The two continued in silence. To Ala'aldeen it was pleasant... and fake.

"Hey… Do you remember a year ago, when you helped me to the infirmary in the first week of school? It was just like this." Ala'aldeen tried his damndest to keep his voice from cracking. He was taking a risk asking.

Janna looked down, trying to remember the day, but she only could draw a blank. Last year was filled with too much sadness for her to remember anything else. "I'm sorry, no." She said quietly after a long pause.

Ala'aldeen kept his face impassive as he felt his heart ache. "I see..."

* * *

Lux watched as the fighting escalated. A rough circle formed around Vi and Darius, their teammates acting as a barrier against any outside interference. Caitlyn and Garen were pushed away from them, the others keeping them on the outside of the circle as they were part of the handful trying to break up the fight.

"Enough!" A large brusque voice cut through the air. All heads turned to see the voice's owner. Coach Braum a large bald man, his white polo shirt practically skin tight against his muscles, easily stepped through the rowdy teens. Parting them with a single hand. "Braum went to check the records with little Poppy," The yordle standing behind him pouted not happy to be referred to as if she was a child, "We've found that boy's do have gym for today." The guys cheered at that and looked triumphantly smug. Darius own grin was especially grating to Vi.

"But! It is strange that they have vast number of days to themselves. It is unfair wouldn't you say?" The last sentence wiped everyone's smirk off their faces. If Braum didn't have their attention before, he had it now. "For now I'd say girls are allowed gym for today. Up coming match is soon, and practice makes for good games."

"The athletics committee will look at the schedule and will make a revision by next week." Poppy chimed in, holding said schedule up for everyone else to see.

Though none of the guys seemed happy with the results they started gathering around their captain. Garen was already planning drills to practice outside that didn't need the hoops, defense, ball control and basic conditioning. Lux was relieved things settled quickly as they did. Even the crowd at the gym's doors had quickly died down. Honestly she had thought Garen might have gotten in another fight that she'd have to explain away to their parents that it wasn't his fault or some other excuse. All except one let the matter drop. Darius was still next to Braum and Poppy, arguing for his team.

Ezreal held back a laugh at how childish Darius is being and joined Lux. "I guess I worried you for nothing."

"No it's okay. Better I was here just in case Garen ends up with another black eye." Lux looked over to Garen, making sure he was out of earshot. "Last time he got one he practically begged me to cover it up with my make up. Just so dad wouldn't throw a fit. Don't tell anyone I said that." Lux playfully narrowed her eyes at Ezreal and pointed threateningly at him.

"Yeah promise." Ezreal smiled and crossed his heart, laughing at the idea of big tough guy Garen begging to wear make up.

"Stop whining! Jeez you're being such a baby." Vi yelled out. Everyone turned to see that she was back up in Darius' face. Braum had his face in his hand, growing tired of this round about talking.

"Darius. You are good player, yes? You know importance of practice. Let girls practice. Or else your practice would be in vain, as you would be too busy cleaning school halls for next three games." It took a lot to get on Coach Braum's bad side. He didn't throw around punishments lightly.

"You don't want your team to lose because they were missing their star player, right?" Poppy added, playing on Darius ego. The supposed 'Dunkmaster' didn't lose, especially not because he was forced to sit out against his will.

With a growl Darius turned and stormed off. That's when Lux saw it. A voidling, small, almost the size of her hand jumped down from the rafters. The creature landed on the back of Darius neck. He flinched in pain as the voidling bit into his skin. He slapped a heavy hand onto the creature and pulled it off of him.

"Real funny. Ya assholes" He threw the Voidling into Vi's chest, thinking it was a basketball or a something similar. His vision went hazy from the effort.

Vi caught the creature, ready to start another verbal rematch when she saw what exactly he threw at her. She flinched at the sight of the voidling, tossing it to the ground for all to see. It hopped into it's legs and scrambled away. "What the shit is that!?" Vi backed up from the twitchy creature, her arm moving reflexively in front of Caitlyn. She felt her own vision going hazy.

It happened suddenly from there. Darius wobbling, his legs weak. His teammates came to his aid unaware of the magic forming around his head. Vi was next, Caitlyn eased her friend down, a similar cloud of magic around her head. Lux saw the magic spread like a virus. Anyone who touched an infected student had their own head enveloped in void magic, even Coach Braum had succumbed to its touch. For a second she was worried they would transform like how Ms. Laurent had. Though it looked like without Malzahar present, the voidlings could only control their mind, and a limited number of minds at that. Some lucky students bolted for the doors, even after coming into contact with the magic. Lux wasn't the only one who saw the change. Poppy and Ezreal noticed how suddenly everyone looked sick, their eyes sunken and purple. Poppy had backed away, keeping a safe distance from them. She moved to stand next to Lux and Ezreal.

Lux grabbed their arms, and pulled them back away from the other. Her eyes scarred. Not worried about her safety, but for Poppy and Ezreal's safety. Her eyes went around the gym watching as the infected students slowly got to their feet.

Vi made a lunge at the yordle. Poppy lept out of the way, landing on the waxy floor in a roll. She was glad she kept herself active. "Whoa, what the heck."

 _Dang it! I need to transform but,_ Lux glanced over to Ezreal, his eye were darting around frantically, then to Poppy, evading another clumsy lunge from Vi. _I can't ditch them._ That's when an idea popped into her head, _They'll ditch me,_ "We need to lock the doors."

Poppy looked to Lux in confusion "And lock ourselves in?"

"From the outside," Lux clarified, "We'll trap them inside the gym." _And me along with them_. Lux backed off from the encroaching crowd of mind controlled students. Ezreal following close behind. "Ezreal, go lock the boy's locker room. Poppy, lock the girls'. I'll go get the front doors"

Ezreal and Poppy shared a concerned look. "You sure?" Poppy asked. She looked over to the double doors on the far end of the gymnasium. A crowd of students standing in the way.

"Yeah." Lux gave them a determined nod. "Don't worry bout me." _It's not like this is the first time I've done this._

Without another word the three of them broke off. All running to their intended doors. Poppy and Ezreal made it to theirs easily and bolted inside, slamming the doors in their pursuers' faces. Lux dove to the side when Caitlyn leapt towards her. They were clumsy but unexpectedly fast. It's a good thing that it was only a voidling was controlling their mind. Said voidling was scurrying around under the cover of the various students. _If I can get to that bug I can stop all this._ Reaching her door, Lux pulled them closed with her still inside. She found the deadbolts and slammed them down. She shook them, testing the locks, when a fist slammed into the door next to her. Garen pushed off the door and reared back for another swing.

"Sorry in advance. Please don't blame me when you wake up with another black eye." Lux pulled the pen free from her pocket, growing to full size in a split-second.

* * *

Janna and Ala'aldeen reached the infirmary. The light was off inside. The door however was still unlocked, open for any students in need. Heading inside Janna found an open cot for Ala'aldeen to rest in. She eased him down onto the bed. He hadn't said anything since his question, and she wondered if she had upset him. While he got himself comfortable, she found the sign in sheet left on Soraka's desk. She wrote down Ala'aldeen's name in the bottom most slot.

"I-" Janna began before closing her mouth. She didn't know exactly what to say. His question had brought up a lot of bad memories, ones she never wanted to relive again even if they only played in her head. "Last year was tough for me." She chose her words carefully. If she accidentally let one word fall out of place, she knew the walls she built up would come crashing down. Those blank memories she had forced herself to forget would become clear again.

"I understand." Ala'aldeen said. He wasn't looking at Janna. When he was here like this, being with Janna as Ala'aldeen and not Malzahar, he hated to see her face twisted in sadness like that. It was still a necessary evil though, he had to know how much she remembered. How much had she remembered about him as Ala'aldeen and not as Malzahar. He needed to know. He needed her to be his. Unconsciously he tightened his hands into fists. His eyes were shut tight, as he felt his body tremble. He would rip her from that damnable star, he tear her down so he can build her back up. So when she falls into the void, she knows he will be their for her to fill that emptiness... So that she may fill his emptiness. Ala'aldeen forced his body to calm down. He turned his head to see Janna was waiting patiently, sitting in Soraka's chair looking over some medical pamphlet left on the desk. "I'm not going anywhere. If you need to talk," Ala'aldeen shrugged. "I'm willing to listen."

Janna looked down to Ala'aldeen. Her smile had reasserted itself on her face. It was a kind gesture. If she could she would surely take him up on that offer, an empathetic ear was invaluable no matter who you are. Star Guardian or not. She couldn't though. He can't learn of her secrets, of the First Star, the Guardians, or the Void. "That's very kind of you." Janna looked away, and Ala'aldeen could see she was beginning to wall herself off again. "But, it's not something I'm ready to open up about." Truthfully she wasn't even sure she was willing to tell Lux about what she knows, let alone a mere acquaintance.

"Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"I will be for now."

"Ok…" Ala'aldeen reluctantly let the matter drop. He knew he wouldn't be able to get any farther. She had walled herself off. "You don't have to stay… I'll just rest here until I'm okay enough to go."

Janna looked at him for a long moment with her soft eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, nothing came out though. _She's probably thinking of a way to stay. But I know you too well my guardian, can't leave anyone who might need your help._ "I'm fine, I'm fine. Go ahead and go, no need to watch me sleep."

The girl looked down, unwilling to go but happy that she had helped. She got out of the seat and bowed, a quiet goodbye for the guy laying in front of her. She paused at the door briefly, then stepped through, closing it on her way out.

Ala'aldeen waited until he could no longer hear her footsteps before he sat up in the bed. With a heavy sigh he kicked his legs over the edge and stood up. He glanced out into the hall, making sure the coast was clear. Magic erupted from his core. The purple haze enveloped his whole body in a second. His school uniform burning away to make way for his purple robes. They wrapped around his body, almost suffocatingly so. He looked down to see the gloves on his hands, the magic around them glowed as he flexed his fingers. The last part of his clothes to manifest was his hood. He pulled it up and over his head, letting the fabric hang low in his face to obscure his now soulless eyes.

With one last glance down the hall, where Janna had gone, Malzahar shifted dimensional planes and out of sight.

* * *

Lux somersaulted away from a hoard of hands. She let loose a singularity, the ball of light landing in the thick of the crowd. It blew, purifying the masses it struck. She was making slow progresses. Everytime she was able to clear enough students of their void control, the others around them reinfected them. She needed to get to the bug in the center. It was the source of all this trouble. Lux spotted it's spidery legs admits of the human ones and took a shot at hitting them with a binding spell. It was blocked by the mass of team acting as its shield. _I wish Janna was here._

Outside Poppy was with Ezreal. They were circling the building, looking for their blonde friend. "I don't see her." Poppy said, running her hands through her pigtails. No clue on what had happened to Lux.

"What if she's still inside?" Ezreal was scared for Lux, he started to fear the worse. That bug was the same kind that was in Ahri's video. This was definitely Star Guardian territory.

"Then we'll have to go back in to get her. Good idea Ezreal." Poppy took off on a run, heading back to the locker rooms. It took a moment for Ezreal to realize what the yordle had said and ran after her.

It didn't take long for the two of them to undo the locks and were back inside. They were both inside the boy's locker room. Poppy had no qualms about being inside, it's not like it was currently being used. They peeked their head around the door frame. Keeping themselves as small a target as possible. Afraid they might draw unwanted attention. A bright flash made them duck back momentarily until they saw the source of the light. The Star Guardian. She was already here.

"That's a relief… I thought we were facing a possible zombie apocalypse for a second." Ezreal said from his hiding spot.

"We're not out of the woods yet." Poppy scanned the room. "We still got to find Lux."

Ezreal nodded, sharp eyes on the lookout.

Lux let out a ragged breath, she hadn't flung so many spells out in such a quick succession before. Luckily she was able to make a sizable dent in the voidling's numbers. Even if they were infected, they were still human. Some had exhausted themselves and were out cold from the over exertion, the strain of fighting and Lux's magic spells too much for them to handle. It was a battle of endurance and Lux was slowly gaining the upperhand. She let out another singularity, making it as large as she can, if she can capture large swaths in a single blast the slower it was for them to regroup. The ball of light exploded, the force sending some students stumbling to the floor. Lux was pulling her punches, only using enough power in them to expel the void from their minds. Braum took the brunt of the spell. He was the toughest one there, having taken more than one direct hit to shield the others from damage. But Lux saw how his legs wobbled, a testament to how even a man like Braum could only take so much. He toppled over after Lux threw a small blast of light into his legs, tripping his feet and sending him crashing to the ground. Lux mentally gave herself a pat on the back. There were only a handful of students left. Darius was still on his feet, the voidling was using him as a personal mount now. She was so preoccupied with the students she hadn't notice the appearance of the master controlling them.

Malzahar hovered high in the gymnasium. Unpleased with the results his voidling made. The Star Guardian should have been taken care of by now. He threw a literal mob of people at her, and she was still standing. Just goes to show, that if he wanted something done, he should have done it himself. Building up the magic in his hands, he ripped open two portals beside Lux. The Guardian looked surprised at their sudden appearance as they surged through her body. Her face clenched tight as she beared the pain. The Void Prophet needed to act quickly, if he wanted to finish off the guardian. He commanded the voidling atop Darius to use the last of its energy to transform the teen into a minion worthy of use.

The few students that still were infected dropped to the floor unconscious. The magic that swirled their heads drifted away and swelled around Darius instead. His body bulged as his muscle grew, and armor came into existence, sharp spiked pauldrons and a full plate cuirass adorned his body. And a massive intimidating axe materialized in his hand.

Lux took a step back to steady herself, her body was numbed from the sudden attack Malzahar unleashed on her. Inside she felt so unprepared and vulnerable, but on the outside her face hardened in intense focus. If she can still stand she can still fight. In quick succession, she threw a chain of luminescent balls of light. They struck Darius hard in the chest, she hadn't held back this time. They blew up in chromatic power. He shrugged the hits off like they were nothing. In two bounding steps he leapt high in the air, axe raised high above him. Ready to bring it down on Lux's head like a guillotine.

Lux brought up her prismatic shield to block the blow. The axe made solid contact with the light barrier creating a spiderweb of cracks to shine on its surface. The light buckled for a second and then shattered all around Lux, she had to throw herself to the ground to avoid the massive axe. Lux was on her knees desperately trying to catch her breath when the axe came around her view and hooked itself around her waist. Darius jerked the axe back, apprehending Lux. Lux turned and swung her baton, charging it with magic. It struck Darius on the cheek, making him jerk back in pain. He growled and reeled back to swinging the axe in a massive arc. Lux stepped into the swing, knowing if she tried to jump back she'd only get struck by the blade. She raised her baton up as a impromptu shield, no time to cast her barrier spell, bracing herself for the attack. The shaft of the axe hit her side like a truck, Lux could feel her arm break from the decimating attack.

Lux flew backwards, her back crashing into the gym wall. The air rushed out of her lungs and she felt hot tears in her eyes. It was only luck that she managed to land on her feet. Her left arm held tightly by her right, the bone inside felt like it was nothing but dust.

"I'm surprised guardian." Malzahar laughed, knowing he had the upper hand. "You've fared much better this round."

"If I remember correctly, I kicked your butt last time." Lux spat back. The taste of iron in her mouth was overwhelming. She had to clench her jaw tight, and force herself to breath through her nose instead.

Malzahar's gaze hardened at Lux, "I underestimated you. A mistake that I will not make again." Malzahar pulled his hood free from his head. His soulless 'eyes' caught Lux's. Her eyes widened in shock. She hadn't seen them last time. Now that she saw them unobstructed, they sent a shiver down her spine. It felt like she was staring into the abyss, the vacant sockets that swirled with void magic was a terrifying sight. Magic coalesced in the empty pools. "Let the Void consu-"

Malzahar's head rocked to the side and his ear started to ring from a sudden impact. Angrily he turned to see Poppy and Ezreal, a basket ball in each of their hands. Poppy's eyes glared at Malzahar, her grip on the ball tight and ready for another throw. Ezreal, while less certain, was still standing his ground, his own ball ready to be thrown. Lux looked on in surprise. _What are they thinking!_

"Back off you-, you bozo" Poppy yelled at Malzahar. A master of wit she was not. Without hesitation, she threw the second basketball.

Malzahar sent a blast of void energy. Striking the ball in mid air, it burst into rubbry shreds. "Foolish mortals. You mess with a prophet of the Void, I control powers your feeble mind couldn't possibly comprehend."

"Well you're messing with Valoran High's ace striker!" Ezreal dropped the basketball in his hands and reared his leg back. He kicked the basketball as hard he could, sending it flying. It went wide, and instead struck Darius on the back of the head. Ezreal's gulped, an athlete he was not. He knew he should've stuck with soccer, but nooo~ his friend Jayce wanted to start an Anime appreciation club with him.

Darius growled and charged at Ezreal, causing him and Poppy to scatter.

"Good idea Ezreal. Distract Darius, while I help the Star Guardian!"

"Y-yeah that was exactly my plan!" Ezreal ducked a wide swing and dove away from Darius. Wanting to get as far away as he could. _This is a terrible plan!_

Malzahar felt his blood boil. How dare these mortals interrupt his plans. He raised a hand to blast Poppy out of existence. Then a sudden surge of searing pain in his back brought his attention back to Lux, holding her baton stretched out towards him. Then another basketball struck his head. Malzahar roared, "Enough!" He ripped opened a portal near Poppy, an eruption of void energy spilling out from it. She let out a yelp as she scrambled around the attack. This was taking too long, if he doesn't hurry up, Janna might discover his ploy.

"Leave them out of this Malzahar, this is between us!" Lux said, her voice wavering from the effort. She winced in pain as she tested her left arm. She couldn't hold anything in the hand, her grip was too weak. Undoing the bow on her chest, Lux made a makeshift sling. It will have to do.

"Guardians, always willing to self sacrifice." Malzahar his 'eyes' coalescing with magic once again. "That trait has been the downfall of your predecessors." He lunged forward, a torrent of void magic spilled through his eyes, ready to grasp anything in their touch.

Lux wanted to move out of the way. Her brain screamed for her legs to listen, to jump or run, do something. Her eyes were just transfixed on Malzahar's soulless gaze. The magic filled her view, and her body went slack and tightened at the same time. Her legs buckling under her weight but her body was so stiff she couldn't collapse. So she just hung there, held up from her head within the grasp of Malzahar's magic. It was cold and it burned her very insides. If Lux was asked to describe the sensation, she'd say it felt like she was being peel. The layers of her very being was being stripped away.

Then it stopped. The grip Malzahar had on her broke instantly and unexpectedly. Lux fell to her knees, gasping for air, like she had been held underwater for far too long. There were spots in her vision. Not like when she stepped into the daylight after coming out of the theaters, but like there were blindspots in her eyes. As if she had lost her vision momentarily. She looked up at Malzahar, trying her best to see what he was going to do next. What she saw was him on the floor and Poppy lying not that far away. The yordle had tackled him, breaking his concentration enough to interrupt the spell. Using her baton as a crutch, Lux pushed herself onto her feet. She doesn't have many spells left in her, she had to make the ones she had count.

Ezreal wasn't doing too bad, he wasn't doing good, but it wasn't bad. He was doing okay, at least he was in one piece. He was more agile than Darius, his clunky armor inhibiting his movement. Ezreal kept dodging and running away, making sure Darius never got in range to use that axe of his. It was all he could do. "Is that all you got?" Ezreal taunted, it was a coping technique. If he kept talking, he wouldn't have time to panic. It also helped keep Darius focused on him. Ezreal made another lap of the gym, if anything had stuck during his time on the soccer team it was his conditioning. Darius took another swing with his axe, it bit into the floor where Ezreal was just a second ago. He slid to the double doors of the Gym, his back pressed against them. He looked over to see Poppy had saved the Star Guardian from whatever the weirdo in the robes was doing. The Star Guardian looked weak, at least she was on her feet. Poppy was scrambling onto her own feet as she moved to get away from Malzahar.

The sound of pounding on the door made Ezreal jump. He looked back, as if he would see the source of the noise. More pounding echoed from the other side. Shit, he took his eyes off Darius. Swinging his head around Ezreal saw Darius had gotten too close, his axe cocked back behind him. Ezreal ducked, his legs buckling beneath him. His arms raised as if they would protect him, and his eyes shut tight. The blade struck an inch above his head, slamming its full weight onto the door's flimsy lock. Cracking an eye open Ezreal saw that he still had his head on his shoulders, well that's a relief. What he also saw was Darius winding back up again for another strike. Not wishing to try his luck a second time, Ezreal push backwards with all his might, breaking what's left of the lock and swinging the door open. He fell to the ground, palms scraping against the concrete outside the gym. He felt the whoosh of the blade as it swung past him.

"Thank you."

Ezreal snapped his attention up to see the second Star Guardian standing before him. Her staff held out in front of her as she summon a gale of howling wind. It shot forward, over Ezreal and slammed into Darius, sending the brute flying back.

"Stay right here." Janna voice strong and reassuring. Ezreal could only nod, his face slack jawed in awe watching her step into the gymnasium unafraid.

Darius landed heavily onto the ground, only feet away from Malzahar. Janna looked over to Malzahar who stared back on his position on the floor. He raised himself slowly, gaze unwavering.

Janna glanced to Lux. The girl returned a weak smile. Her body hurt all over, still raw from whatever spell Malzahar used on her. She only relaxed once she saw Janna had appeared. Janna let out a slow calming breath. When Lux still hadn't returned she had a feeling that her fellow guardian was in trouble. When it turned out to be true she transformed immediately and rushed to the gym as quickly as she could.

Malzahar let out a laugh, "Impeccable timing as always _my_ guardian."

Janna didn't say anything, she was afraid she had came too late, and didn't trust her voice. Janna's face was emotionless, the spark in her eyes carried all the fury she needed to convey. Slamming her staff down she created a monsoon of wind around her. Strong enough to even pick up Darius and throw him like a doll. Malzahar was flung back from the force his body pressed up against the wall. He moved his hands to his side, pushing against the wall with all his strength. The winds relentless as Janna's fury. He brought his head up to see Darius' body fly towards him. Slamming into his own, Darius knocked the wind out of Malzahar. The axe blade came soon after, embedding itself next to Malzahar's head, a little too close for comfort.

Lux felt the winds wash over her, the wind that threw Malzahar easily instead healed Lux. Strength returned body, the magical energy felt warm within her. A complete opposite feeling from Malzahar's spell. Her arm's bone knit itself back together, like puzzle pieces falling back into place. Lux flexed her finger, it doesn't hurt anymore. She ran to Janna's side. They shared a look, both glad to see each other, and knowing the tide of this battle had turned to their favor. They didn't need to tell each other what they needed to do next. Janna redoubled her efforts, pouring more strength into her spell. Keeping the two pinned against the wall. Lux twirled her baton, gathering light up. Far brighter than her previous spells. She still felt the exhaustion, her body ached with it. With the last of her strength she put all that she could into her final spell.

"Final Spark." The beam of light Lux expelled was intense for a split second the whole room had filled with light. Everything turned white in their view. The only things what weren't washed out were the people watching. Lux and Janna's focus still was on Malzahar. Poppy's was on them. She looked at them in amazement. For a while, it felt like the world was standing still.

Then it was over. Malzahar was gone. He shifted planes again, escaping back to whatever corner of the void he called home. Janna wasn't surprised, she had clashed with him enough times to know he isn't easily defeated. He'll be back. Lux sighed and took a knee. Janna knelt beside her, an arm draped around her companion.

"Looks like we're even, I saved you and now you saved me. Thanks for coming." Lux let out a weak laugh and smiled up at Janna.

"We are teammates, I will always have your back." Janna smiled, relieved that the fight is over.

"That was amazing!" Poppy yelled, running over to the two guardians. "You kicked that bozo's butt so hard you wipe him off the face of the earth!"

Lux and Janna said nothing. Neither of them wanting to spoil the yordle's excitement.

"I have you to thank." Lux said finally. "Without your help I wouldn't have lasted long enough for my fellow guardian to come to my aid…" Lux paused, a thought coming to her mind. "You know, you would make a pretty good guardian yourself." Lux hoped here words would awaken something in Poppy.

"What me!? No way. I'm no hero. I-" Poppy looked around, unable to look the Star Guardian in the eyes. "I just tried to help best I can… I'm mean." She spotted Ezreal. He was back inside, checking up on the students still knocked out from the magic. Janna's monsoon had healed any wounds they had. "Ezreal was the one who thought of coming back inside to help. And, and he also distracted Darius without hesitation. I just sorta, ran around…" Poppy looked down to her feet. Her long ears drooping down.

Janna wanted to reach out, place a hand on Poppy's shoulder to reassure her that she was indeed a hero. She was destined for greatness because of her brave acts. Janna was cut short when Poppy's head snapped back up.

"Wait, we still haven't found Lux!" She looked around and the gym frantically. "Ezreal, did you find Lux?"

"No!" Ezreal was going as quickly as he could looking for his classmate. "She isn't here!"

Lux looked over to Janna, who could only shrug as a response. She hadn't had time to come up with a good cover story. "Uh, uh. Oh! Y-your blonde friend!" Lux bit her lip, eyes darting around to find a suitable excuse. "I-I, uh, I saw her dart into the girl's locker room right as I arrived."

Lux grabbed Janna's hand. "Duty calls. No time to stick around." In a hurry Lux ran out of the double doors, taking Janna along with her. They left Poppy before she could say another word. As soon as they got out of the building she turned sharply to round the corner. "I have to stay a little longer… meet back at the club room?" Lux asked as she transformed back into her normal school outfit.

"Of course. I'll see you soon. I still have your school bag after all." Janna laughed, the situation all too familiar to her own time being the Star Guardian.

"Thanks!" Lux called back, practically kicking the door open to the girl's locker room.

* * *

Lux looked around the locker room not knowing what to do. A second later she heard the opposite door click open. Without a better plan she flung herself on the floor and pretended to be knocked out.

"Lux!" That wasn't Poppy's voice. She felt hands grip her shoulders, shaking her gently. "Are you okay?"

Feigning grogginess, Lux opened her eyes slowly. Ezreal's eyes stared back at her's intently, a mixture of concern and happiness. His body was hovering over her own. He let out a sigh of relief, and fell back onto his butt. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Ezreal." Lux said. The blonde boy perked up when he heard his name. "You're in the girl's locker room."

Ezreal hopped back onto his feet. "Ah, uh, well you see. Poppy told me you were in here. So I rushed in without thinking."

Lux laughed. She sat up, and looked at the boy. Glad to see he wasn't hurt from the whole ordeal. "It's fine. I won't tell on you… How is everyone else?"

"They're okay, I think. Just a little groggy. Whatever that weirdo did to them wore off as soon as the Star Guardians came. They don't even remember what caused it all"

"That's good." _In more ways than one_. Lux reached out her hand. Ezreal took it, and pulled Lux up.

Together they reentered the gym. All around people were getting back to their feet. Vi was fussing over Caitlyn, worried that she was hurt or worse. Caitlyn was doing her best to reassure her friend that she was fine. Darius sat up right, holding his head, a dull headache pulsing in his skull. Garen was already on his feet making the rounds checking up on his teammates. When he saw Lux he rushed over as quickly as he could.

"Lux. Thank goodness you're okay." Garen crushed his little sister in a massive hug. It hurt in a good way. His affection showed through his carelessness.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Lux wheezed out.

He let her go after a second. He and Ezreal started talking. Ezreal doing his best to try and explain what exactly had happened.

Lux's eyes drifted down, they wandered the room until they landed on Poppy. She wouldn't be here right now if it hadn't been for that yordle's bravery. Too bad she couldn't see that. She was trying to help Braum up, his broad body practically smothering the yordle. A pretty funny scene to watch.

This was going to be harder than Lux thought. She looked out of the gymnasium windows, through the evening clouds she could see a distant star shine bright.

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap! What? Did you think it would be that easy for Lux to recruit her fellow guardians? No way! This adventure only just begun. I got many more plans for Lux, Janna, and the rest of the Star Guardians. Even Malzahar will have his moments.

This chapter turned out much longer than I originally thought. Hopefully I can keep the ball rolling on this baby.

See you all soon. Love you, bye.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Who has two thumbs and owns League of Legends… not this loser.

A/N: I surprised myself by being able to update this story so quickly again. Many thanks to the readers who decided to follow my story. That really helps push me to improve and write more. I'll be trying my hardest to keep my creative juices flowing, and keep typing away.

Now, on with the show~!

* * *

It was a normal dream. Everyone had the falling dream at least once, right?

Poppy was falling, she dove through the air head first with her eyes sharp against the harsh wind. She was high off the ground, really high. She could practically see the curvature of the earth below. The clouds were a deep pink from the waning sunset, the night sky was just coming around the opposite end, it all wrapped around the far off horizon in a beautiful panoramic view. Twilight was all around her. She tilted her head, felt the pressure shift from her shoulders to her back as she rolled around to see behind her. She looked up from her position. Other people were falling too, she could barely make them out. They were too far away, only a dot in her vision, the night sky behind them obscured everything. Almost everything. Light surrounded them, a flicker of colour here and there, one was pink the other was purple. She reached a hand to them, something deep inside her told her that she needed to, that they were also reaching out to her. The dots grew as they came closer, slowly the dots took shape. They were now silhouettes of people. Poppy could see the pink one, she… A thought came to Poppy's head, she knew who they were. Almost, she could almost remember, it was on the tip of her tongue.

Then the colour drained from the clouds, the sunlight died and the night sky's stars blinked out of existence. Quickly, Poppy turned around again, the wind on her face too wild this time. It stung her eyes to even try to open them. Below her the world was gone. In its place it was replaced by a vortex. A gaping mouth ready to consume everything that was foolish enough to get too close. Poppy shut her eyes. She wanted this dream to end. She held out her arms, kicked her feet, tried her hardest to angle her descent away from the hungry abyss below.

"Poppy!" That voice, it was so familiar. She heard it before, she knew she heard it before. The pink light behind her pulsed. It cried out her name again. Then again. And aga-

"Poppy!" Lulu burst through Poppy's dorm room door.

Poppy fell out of bed. Her blankets becoming a tangled mess around her small body. She hit the floor hard. The dorm building hadn't sprung for carpeting, each and every room was hardwood from wall to wall, she now regretted not buying a rug. Only now did she hear her alarm clock was blaring out mainstream top forty hits. She really should change the settings on that thing, she doesn't even like half the music the radio plays. Poppy groaned from her position on the floor. Two feet filled up her view. Looking up Poppy noticed Lulu holding her favorite plushie and an impatient look on her face. She took that plushie everywhere she went. Poppy didn't know if it was suppose to be a poro or some other made up creature. It had a small round body like a poro, long ears shaped like wings, and a squirrel's tail. What she did know is that for as long as Poppy had known her, Lulu had carried that plushie with her.

"C'mon and get up, sleepy head! It's time to get ready for school!" Lulu's sing songy voice rang through the air. Too happy and vibrant for any normal person in this early hour.

"I'm not going today…" Poppy got back up, still wrapped in her blankets, and plopped back into bed. She curled into the smallest ball she could, tightening her grip on the blankets. Her back was to Lulu. "I don't feel so good." She said, muffled by the fluffy pillow beside her. The nightmare was still fresh in her mind. It was so strangely familiar that it made her sick to the stomach. Can bad dreams cause stomachaches? Whatever the answer, it did a number to Poppy. Her whole body felt weak, and her throat went tight with every breath. She almost felt like crying.

Lulu's ears drooped. She was concerned for her fellow yordle. Poppy never got sick, and if she did she would cram a mouthful of vitamins in her face and power on through. Whatever made her want to sleep a day away must be big. "Okay... get better soon. Pix and I will make you some soup before we go." Lulu held up her plushie, wiggling its little foot to hold a loose salute. The big button eyes looked like they actually held some determination, agreeing with Lulu to do its best and make her friend feel better. "We'll leave it on the stove for you."

The door clicked softly as Lulu left. There was a quiet moment before Poppy lept to the door and yelled out to her friend. "Don't forget to turn OFF the stove this time!"

Sighing heavily Poppy trudged back into her bed. She looked out of the window across from her. The morning light peeked through bland beige curtains, and Poppy could see the city stretch on. Valoran High wasn't that far from the dorms they provided. They wanted to have dorms off campus. It helped provide the students with a reason to go and explore the city. Discouraging staying indoors all day. Poppy huffed at the irony. _Wait, does that count as irony?_ Maybe if she kept thinking about other things, she won't remember the nightmare. Her mind drifted. Tristana and Teemo have gotten closer. Rumble must be so jealous. Lulu still carries that plushie with her. Wonder if she made it, wouldn't put it past the girl. There weren't anything like that in the stores. Wonder if there's going to be a sale later tonight. Maybe if Poppy gets a little better she can check out the markets. No, she'd probably just attend afternoon classes. She couldn't ditch a whole day if she got better mid way through.

...

Slowly her eyelids felt heavy and drifted closed. Then the vortex of magic ripped open in her mind, for a second she was falling all over again. Flinging herself upright, Poppy looked around her room. She looked at the alarm clock sitting on her nightstand, not even five minutes have passed. _Today's gonna suck isn't it?_ She asked the empty room silently _._ With a groan, Poppy fell backwards. She probably will skip the whole day.

* * *

Lux was having a good week. Malzahar hadn't shown his face since he took over the school's basketball team. And now Lux found they were fast approaching the weekend, she had to wonder what she'll do with her free time. Though she still hadn't gotten through to Poppy, she was making progress (at least she hoped). Lux had made it a point to show herself as the Star Guardian whenever she can. Maybe she can jog the yordle's memory. Janna had thought it was a good idea, without the threat of Malzahar there was only so much they can do to help reawaken their fellow guardians.

Walking down the street in the early morning sunlight, Lux barely saw anyone else litter the sidewalk. The sun felt warm on her skin. It was still relatively early in the school year, she wished the warmer seasons would last forever. She didn't like winter, the cold air creeped in everything and the school uniforms weren't meant for such weather. So she'll enjoy the sun as much as she can. She liked being early, it allowed her to sit down in class and be around her fellow classmates. Like a form of people watching. She was still sorta new, while she knew everyone's names in class she hadn't made much friends. Janna was the closest one she could consider. She slowed her pace once the school gate came into view, there were others already around the courtyard. Their voices coming around the corner easily. Lux heard someone familiar and came around the corner to see her upperclassmen Janna talking to someone she hadn't seen before. He looked like he rarely slept and his messy brown hair fell in front of his thick glasses. She approached them slowly, and bowed to Janna.

"Janna, morning." Lux greeted. Unaware of the slight scowl the other teen gave her the moment he lost Janna's attention.

"Good Morning." Janna greeted politely. She half turned to Lux and gave a small wave.

Lux beamed a little. She turned to the other teen, and bowed to him too. "Morning."

"Morning…" The guy crossed his hands and barely dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Janna, I'll see you later." He turned on his heel, walking away quickly.

"Was it something I said?" Lux was surprised by his curt dismissal. She didn't think she did anything to offend him. Lux looked to Janna, she only returned a sad shake of the head.

"Ala'aldeen had some kind of fight with a family member." Janna tilted her head to the teen that just left. Ala'aldeen looked at the ground, his head hung low and his hands shoved deep down into his pockets. He slipped past some students and disappeared into the building. "I could tell he wanted to confide in someone, so I offered to listen. To return the sentiment he offered me a couple days ago."

"Janna?" Lux could hear how Janna's voice dipped at the end. A sad tone hidden between her words. Lux knew Janna kept quiet about her past as a Star Guardian. The small things she let slip and what she gleamed from Malzahar's tauntings hadn't gotten passed Lux. The responsibilities they carried were heavy burdens to bear. Janna had done this before, and Lux wished she would open up about it. She could offer some kind of help as minimal as that was. Janna just needed to accept the help Lux was offering.

"Sorry." Janna forced a smiled to ease Lux. "Lux, it's nothing for you to worry about."

Lux looked around, there were only a few others standing in the courtyard. They were too absorbed in their own conversations to notice anything Lux said. "We're guardians. We should look out for each other. If there is anything wrong we should tell one another."

The smile dropped from Janna's face and was replaced with a serious look. "I know… more than you possibly can imagine. This isn't something you-" Janna stopped herself from continuing and forced her voice to relax. "What I mean to say is; Lux, I'm still readjusting to being a guardian again. It's something I haven't been in a long time." It was a lie, maybe not a full lie, but it was a lie all the same and Lux can see it. For some reason that hurt more than it should have. "Respect that I want to deal with this alone." Janna's tone was a little too firm.

Lux pursed her lips, unsatisfied by how Janna was walling herself off. "But I'm saying you shouldn't have to. I know there were guardians before me… Malzahar wasn't subtle you know. He made it quite clear he fought us before. If it's guardian business I have a right to know, don't I?"

"Not about this." Janna was cold now. Cutting the conversation to a halt.

Lux's face dropped down to her feet. She wanted to say something but found herself at a loss for words. Looking back up she met Janna with a solemn nod.

"I'll see you after school." Janna waved a goodbye, parting ways with Lux on a less than happy note.

Lux watched her go, before heading off herself. Her eyes downcast as she started to walk to the front doors. Her feet dragged behind her, leaving little dust trails in her wake. She made it to the bike racks when a blonde boy called to her. Ezreal was finishing locking up his bike when he saw her.

"Hey Lux." Ezreal didn't get to say much else, he was taken aback by Lux's dull mood. "Is, uh, is everything ok?" He hoped he wasn't stepping over any bounds.

"Walk me to class, please." Lux said lowly, her head tilted down so he wouldn't see her biting her lip. She didn't say anything other than that. She just wanted someone to talk to until class started.

"Yeah for sure." Ezreal said softly. He stepped aside to walk next to Lux. He didn't know what was bringing Lux down and he wasn't very good with dealing with emotional stuff. That didn't mean he wouldn't try to cheer her up. Whenever Jayce or Vi got upset they usually buried it deep with jokes or in Vi's case took it out on a punching bag. He helped them by being there to talk nonsense and hold the bag.

"Ezreal," Lux said slowly, she subconsciously fiddled with the hem of her skirt. She noticed and dropped the fabric. "I, I don't really have much friends, so I'm sorry if I'm bugging you."

"No, not at all." Ezreal dismissed her words, trying not to make the girl anymore self conscious than she already is. Even though the two of them only talk every now and again, Ezreal thought of them as friends. Hell, after last week's fiasco he thought they were. "You can count on me if you need a shoulder to lean on. And just so you know, I think we're friends."

Lux smiled at that, happy to hear Ezreal call her that. They reached the school's front entrance, they quickly changed their shoes and continued to their classroom. Ezreal talked to her for a while longer, mostly unimportant stuff. What he and Jayce did after school. A new game he got that he thought might interest her. It didn't really, Lux was never much of a gamer. He went on, filling any silent moments with his voice. It helped raise her spirits, even if only a little bit.

They reached their classroom, only a few other students were inside. Lux went straight for her seat. Ezreal went to the seat in front of her's. He swung a leg over so he could sit in the chair backwards and faced Lux.

"Hey if you want, you can eat lunch with me and Jayce. Fair warning though, Jayce can be pretty annoying." Ezreal smiled easily, it made Lux smile too. He crossed his arms onto the backrest and leaned his head onto them.

"Sure." Lux laughed lightly. Just quiet enough for only Ezreal to hear. "I lived with Garen for practically my whole life, so he can't be that bad."

"Eh I don't know about that. Vi decked him just after they met. You should've seen it. We thought he lost a tooth."

"Ha, wow that's pretty quick."

"If you knew Vi as long as I have it wouldn't surprise you. Besides, he was definitely asking for it when he tried to make a move on Caitlyn while she was right next to her."

"Caitlyn and Vi are-"

"Oh yeah. Since last year actually. That was way before though, back then Caitlyn thought Vi was only being an overprotective friend."

The bell rang and Ms. Laurent walked inside. Ezreal hopped out of the seat to quickly get to his own. Lux pinched his sleeve, making him pause for a second. "Hey... Thanks, I needed that." Lux said in a hushed whisper.

"No problem." Ezreal whispered back with a small smile.

* * *

Poppy got only a few more hours of fitful sleep. The nightmare hadn't gone away. It kept coming back again and again. For a while it stayed like that until Poppy decided to give up on sleep altogether. She looked over to her nightstand, it was an hour before lunch would start at school. She wondered what her friends are up to. Swinging her legs over her bed, she hopped out with a little wobble. She wasn't feeling any better, her arms and legs were still weak and now she had a headache to accompany her stomachache. Maybe Lulu's soup would help things out, eating always made Poppy feel better. On a good day she could eat twice her weight in food and still be hungry. Poppy licked her lips, her tongue flicking across her little fang hungrily. Her lips felt chapped and her mouth was dry. Yeah, a hearty meal was definitely what she needed.

Poppy paused at her mirror, she was still in her pajamas, the oversized shirt she wore barely cut off the basketball shorts she slept in. Well, it's not like anyone else was in the dorm house to judge her. Poppy instead just pulled her hair into her usual twin pigtails and called it done. The last thing she did was grab her laptop. Lulu's soup would need to be reheated (That is if Lulu remembered to turn off the stovetop) and Poppy didn't want to sit and watch water boil, thank goodness for the internet.

Each step on the staircase was killer in Poppy's condition. They hadn't made the stairs with yordles in mind, so each step was as high as her kneecaps. Guess eating upstair in her room was out of the question. She should have grabbed her blanket, now she had to eat in the lounge room with only her soup to warm her.

Finally she made it into the kitchen. Poppy put her laptop down on the counter and moved to the stove. Thankfully this part of the building had been built with yordles in mind. Retractable stepping stools were built in all the countertops, the sink and the stove. Swinging one of the stools out, Poppy hopped up and spotted the pot of soup left for her. There was a note left on the pot that read 'for Poppy only' and had a cartoon doodle of Poppy's face. The little note made Poppy smile. Lulu even remembered to turn the stove off this time. Sliding the pot to a burner closer to the edge, Poppy looked inside. The soup was a hearty mix of thick cut chicken and fat farfalle noodles. There was also a large helping of carrots and celery, no doubt from the garden Lulu kept at school as part of the agricultural club. _Ah thank you Lulu._ Most never gave Lulu a second thought, she was just the school's scatter brain or childish first year. Poppy knew better, Lulu was smart and knew her way around a kitchen. Reaching over the stove, Poppy turned the burner on. It was gass powered so it took a few tries. Once the heat was on Poppy settled down on the nearby counter, her laptop right next to her. She powered on the laptop and went straight to youtube.

* * *

Lux heard the bell ring for lunch to start. She was feeling better after Ezreal and the lessons took her mind off this morning. She was actually looking forward to eating with her friend. Ms. Laurent had already excused herself, leaving the classroom free for the students to use. Lux brought out the two bento boxes she made every morning. She still made lunch for Garen, he would starve otherwise. Standing up she turned to Ezreal. She tilted her head to the door, telling him to 'Follow me'. He nodded and followed her out of class.

"Two bentos?" Ezreal asked.

"One's for Garen." Lux said proudly.

"Aw isn't that sweet."

"Well if I don't feed him, he'd just eat snacks all day. One time I forgot and he ate three bags of chips and called it lunch." She walked up the stairs to the upper floor where the third years had their classes.

Ezreal looked away. "Uh…"

Lux saw in the corner of her eye that Ezreal slowed down and was rubbing the back of his neck embarrassed. "Not you too…"

"Well, I don't really have time to cook. And I'm not very good at it either. What do you expect from someone like me."

Lux rolled her eyes as they came to her brother's classroom. She slid the door open and looked to her brother's desk. Garen and Jarvan and pushed their desks together, Jarvan was eating and so was Garen. Lux saw that Garen already had a bento box on his desk. She walked over to him and gave him a questioning look. He didn't cook and the box wasn't one of hers either. Garen looked up and beamed at Lux, not ashamed to show off what he had.

"Lux look, it's from a secret admirer." Garen looked like he was ready to burst from the excitement. At the far end of the class, Katarina was watching his reactions carefully from the corner of her eye. Lux had to admit she never really saw her brother this excited before. Then again as far as she knew he didn't have many girl's into him. Having Jarvan as a friend meant there was going to be some repercussions to his love life. Jarvan was the 'Prince' of the school after all (Lux had a hard time understanding why). Shyvana needed to act quickly if she wanted to keep his fangirls away permanently.

Speaking of; Shyvanna walked into the classroom and spotted Lux. "Hey, are you gonna eat with us today?" She asked as she sat down right next to her prince.

Lux shook her head. "No, I was gonna go-" Lux's eyes drifted to Janna. Lux saw Janna turn in her seat and momentarily locked eyes with her fellow guardian. She broke eye contact, not wanting to eat lunch with Janna after this morning. "I was gonna go eat with Ezreal." She half turned and waved to Ezreal behind her, a smile reasserting itself on her face when she looked at him. He gave a meek wave back to the group. When he saw the narrowed eyes Garen was giving him he also took a half step back. Lux ignored the two, "Come on we'll go eat on the roof, you can have Garen's lunch." Grabbing him by the arm and leading him out of the class as quickly as she could.

When the duo left Shyvana started talking in quietly to the rest of the Demacian teens. The topic made Garen scowl a little.

Janna watched them go, a little regretful now of how she pushed Lux away. She hadn't meant to, she only wanted Lux to understand she wasn't ready to face her past. She decided she would have to talk to her again to clear up the misunderstanding. After club would be best, when it was just the two of them. Slowly Janna got out of her seat, she would still eat her lunch in the quiet Lit Club room, she needed to sort out her own thoughts.

…

The rooftop was nice and warm, a popular place to eat during sunny days. The school provided benches for the students after they realized that no matter how many times they warned them that the area was off limits they would come anyways. Finding an open bench in the farthest corner Lux dragged Ezreal over and sat down. She opened her bento box and passed the extra one to Ezreal. Her mood had dipped again. She didn't know why she felt as bad as she did. Of course Janna wanted to keep some things to herself, everyone had secrets. But it also concerned Lux didn't it? She was involved by being a Star Guardian. _We're a team. Teammates tell each other things._

Lux stabbed at her food again. She barely ate any of it in the past ten minutes. By now Ezreal was beginning to worry.

"Ok," He broke the silence, "Do you want to talk about it, or do you want to talk about how Jayce got us kicked out of a maid cafe."

"What are you talking about?" Lux looked over to Ezreal, he had a completely serious face. Almost comically serious. "What are you doing?"

"I-I'm not good with this emotional stuff." Ezreal said with a shrugged and looked down at his food. "I'm asking if you want to talk about what's making you feel upset or if you want to talk about something else. Get your mind off of it."

Lux shook her head. "I can't just ignore my feelings." She took a tiny bite of her food.

"Hey that's okay. No one should. But all I'm sayin is that sometimes you can't dwell on them either."

 _Feels like she is._ Lux said to herself then paused, a small thought came to her mind. "What if-, What if _I_ don't want to do anything about it and I just want to be left alone."

Ezreal caught onto the slight inflection in her voice. Lux wasn't talking about herself, she must be referring to a friend of her's. He didn't think to hard on who, he didn't want to delve too deep into drama he wasn't part of. "Then go ahead and brood, just know your friends are always there for you when you need them." Ezreal placed his lunch aside and leaned back, resting his elbows on the bench's backrest. "Caitlyn said 'a bridge needs to be built from both sides'. It means like meet in the middle or something."

She understood where Ezreal was coming from. It was different though... wasn't it? "Okay but… say if it involved you. You have a right to know, right? It might not really involve you directly but you're still part of it. So there has to be something to say, right? "

Ezreal pushed off the back rest and leaned onto his knees so he could look Lux in the face. "I think you should start over."

Lux sighed. No more beating around the bush. "Should I be upset that my friend doesn't want to open up to me, even though her feelings might involve me? I mean I know it involves me, just maybe indirectly." Lux looked Ezreal in the eyes. He could see the conflicted ball of emotions behind them.

Oh how Ezreal wished Caitlyn was here. Ezreal took a long moment to process this. All joking aside, Ezreal tried his best to console Lux. "You might feel upset because it sorta feels like your friend is pushing you away, they're not being open and trusting. But you have to think about how they feel too. You can't force them to tell you how they feel about whatever it is. Cause in their mind they might think what they have to say doesn't actually involve you OR will hurt your feelings and they don't want to do that." Ezreal ran a hand through his hair. "It goes back to that bridge thing Caitlyn said except with trust. If you trust them to come to you when they're ready, they'll trust you to be there."

Lux was quiet for a moment. Taking in Ezreal's words. She was surprised she had gotten all that out of the blonde boy. "Maybe I did overstep my boundaries. I guess I have some apologizing to do." She smiled weakly. "You know you're not as bad as you think with this 'emotional stuff'."

"What are you talking about? All that was at the top of my head, halfway through I was totally talking out my ass." Ezreal leaned back again and grabbed his lunch, ready to start eating again.

"It was a pretty rocky start, yeah, and I was sorta confused why you brought up Jayce."

"Hey that part doesn't count. That was before we started 'real' talking, you know, if you didn't want to talk about your feelings. And Jayce stories make up the best distractions."

Lux was glad she talked to Ezreal. While there was still a lot on her mind, at least it was sorted out now.

* * *

Ala'aldeen was inside the Occult Club's room. No one bothered to come inside here besides club members and even then none did so during lunch. Whoever was the club president before him had covered the windows with thick black cardstock, even the window on the door was covered. The only section that had any outside light coming through was the room adjacent to this one. And it was only a small section reserved for the potted plants Lulu had gave to Veigar. The little yordle couldn't bring himself to throw the gifts out. Ala'aldeen liked the room. It was private and for what he needed to do he needed all the privacy he could get. Kneeling down he sent a quick pulse of Void magic through his body. A second later Ala'aldeen was gone and Malzahar knelt in his place. Another pulse Malzahar filled the room with a large amount of magic. It sent a ripple through his body as it shifted the dimensions around him. Soon he found himself floating through the twisting nether of the Void. A haze of magic stretched on in every direction, endless in every direction. For a while it was only Malzahar as he floated in the vast nothingness. It was almost tranquil to him.

That had shattered when he heard the hum of a Void creature. "Imbalance in chemical hormones. Heightened anxiety."

"Do not analyze me, you floating eyesore." Malzahar turned around to see a large Void creature, the main body was a eye encased in an elaborate shell of some sort. There was three more eyes set in the shell above the main eye. Three tentacles came around and poked at Malzahar.

"Easily agitated." The creature floated around Malzahar, it's wide eye set on him, ignoring Malzahar's outburst.

Malzahar had to float unmoving. Allowing for the Void creature to get on with its business. It had called to meet with him and so he had to oblige.

"Fascinating." It hummed again.

"May we proceed, Vel'Koz? Lunch doesn't last forever, I need to return or else I will be missed." Malzahar said through clenched teeth.

"And impatient too." Vel'Koz floated away from Malzahar, it crossed its long limbs in front of its body. "Very well. The other creatures of the Void have gotten tired of your failings. Honestly I think they are 'jumping the gun', as the saying goes on your world." It floated around Malzahar again, circling him ever so slowly. "Still I have to question your capabilities."

Malzahar wanted to protest, but found himself suddenly face to 'face' with the massive eyeball.

"You and the voidlings are the only ones currently able to freely travel between your world and the Void. The portal you open is not strong enough to allow anyone else to accompany you."

"Get to the point."

Vel'Koz ripped opened a rift with its tentacle. A single object floated out of the rip. It was a thick leather bound tome. The book pulsed with powerful magic, magic unlike the Void, practically foreign to Malzahar. Unknown energy emanated from its pages. Malzahar took it in his hands and flipped through the book. The pages glowed a bright light, which made Vel'Koz wince. The power that flowed through Malzahar tingled his hands and made his blood pulse hard in his chest.

"W-what is this?"

"Relic from an old world. There are some things the Void should not consume indiscriminately." Vel'Koz reached out, wrapping a tentacle around the book. It forced it closed, killing the lights and plunging the Void back into a familiar darkness. "This items holds powerful magic." It then held up the book making Malzahar stare at the intricate designs on the cover. "The book was the personal tome of a powerful mage. One that stole the souls from their victims to power their magic. Those in possession gain the benefits."

Malzahar looked at the tome. He had to wonder why Vel'Koz was giving him such a powerful artifact.

"With this you should have no more excuses for your failings."

There it was. The creatures of the Void have gotten tired of waiting. This was meant to bridge the gap in his power to allow him to open a portal strong enough for them to cross. Malzahar gulped as Vel'Koz lowered the book and laid it in his hands. Without another word Vel'Koz floated away, the darkness of the Void quickly obscuring him from sight. Malzahar stayed there for a moment longer, alone, only accompanied by the soft ominous pulsing of power from the book.

* * *

Lux was surprised by the evening bell. Today went by much quicker than she thought. The events of the morning and lunch had replayed over in her mind throughout class. She gathered her things, when a light tap on her shoulder grabbed her attention. Looking up she saw Ezreal.

"Hey, want to come hang out with me and Jayce? We're going to downtown Piltover, there's this square there where all the shops sell the coolest stuff you can find."

"You mean that nerd hive? Be careful Lux or else you might like end up like another otaku." Ahri called from behind, snickering to herself as she made her way out of the class.

Lux ignored the girl, she liked how Ezreal was. "Sure Ezreal. I'll have to tell Janna I'll be skipping club then." _And apologize while I'm at it._

Ezreal smile grew, he was hoping she would say yes. He had invited Lux to hang out so that he can cheer her up further. She still looked sad even after lunch and their talk. Besides the shops didn't just have anime merchandise, there were also a few good cafes. Those should help Lux feel better, she said she really liked cakes.

Lux stood up and shouldered her bag. She waved a hand to Ezreal, who told her to meet them at the front of the school.

"Mind if I tag along too?" Quinn asked once Lux was out of earshot. She peeked over from Ezreal's shoulder, stepping around to face him. Her hand held her phone close to her chest. She had overheard Ezreal's invitation and quickly sent a text to Shyvana. It wasn't considered spying. Just recon, to make sure he doesn't do anything weird to Lux.

"Sure more the merrier." He didn't see why she couldn't join them. Quinn was Lux's friend, at least he thought she was. The two of them used to eat together. Plus with Quinn joining them, that means there's someone there to distract Jayce.

Quinn smiled and texted a quick message to Shyvana.

…

Lux paused before the Lit Club's door. She had thought hard about what Janna had said this morning. Ezreal had helped sort her thoughts out during lunch, even if he meant to distract her at first. He showed her that she shouldn't pry unless Janna was willing to open up. Instead she should be there for when Janna was ready, like how Ezreal was there for Lux today. Lux knocked on the Lit Club's door. She slid it open after a moment to see only Janna standing inside. The water boiler humming quietly in the corner. Janna looked up from the tea set she was setting up.

"Lux-" She said softly.

"Janna I'm sorry." Lux took a step forward and bowed deeply, cutting off Janna. "I should have respected your privacy. I didn't mean to be rude and pry. I was being insensitive. So…" Lux stood up but kept her head to the ground. "I'm-. Ezreal invited me to hang out with him. I'll be skipping club today. I won't be bothering you. Again I'm sorry." Her hands gripped the hem of her skirt. She fidgeted a little and waited for Janna's response.

Janna was taken aback by Lux's apology, she had meant to do so herself. "Lux it's okay. I realized I was far colder than I meant to be." She put the tea set aside, wanting to continue the talk to ease her fellow guardian's emotions. Lux nodded, her eyes still fixed to the spot between her feet. "My previous time as a guardian was very hard on me. It'll take some time for me to come to terms with that. When I'm ready to talk, you'll be the first to know." Janna stood and walked over to Lux. She grabbed her underclassmen's hand and placed in it a small strip of paper. Her number and email written inside. "That's a promise."

The younger blonde smiled ever so slightly. Glad Janna had accepted her apology. She looked at the number in her hand and held it tight. Finally she looked up. Janna had a faint smile too. "I have to get going they're waiting on me, and... thank you."

"I'll see you tomorrow." Janna said, watching Lux disappear down the hall. For now she let Lux go, pleased with how they left things off this time. She wanted to talk a while longer, but knew she would get her chance later. Her heart wasn't quite ready to let others back in just yet. _One step at a time_. Hopefully it would turn out better this time.

Her phone buzzed a minute later. She read the text and replied back. Yeah, this will turn out better than last time.

* * *

Malzahar overlooked the groups of students leaving the school. He hid himself on the roof and watch from afar. He saw Lux with a group students leave the courtyard. Janna wasn't with them. Scanning the crowd he failed to spot his guardian. She hadn't left school yet. He desperately wanted to go see her, his time is nearly up. The creatures of the Void had given him the means to rip open a portal powerful enough to let them cross over into their world.

While he could freely transport himself and the lesser void creatures across dimensions, other beings of power were much more difficult. The tome came easily enough, if the act of almost ripping his arm off during transport was considered easy. The book was stubborning fixed in the Void until Malzahar wretched it free. Looking the book over carefully, Malzahar read the text on the cover. _Mejai._ The font was a fancy script, handwritten calligraphy with a lot of swirls at the tips of each letter. Cracking the book open, Malzahar winced at the bright pages, but noticed most were blank. Vel'Koz was correct that the owner of the book would receive more power for each soul trapped within the pages. What the eyesore didn't know was that the book held no more souls, only the last vestiges of whoever Mejai was was left..

He turned around then walked to the opposite edge of the rooftop. This side of the building only had an empty lot, room enough for the school to grow if it needed to. For now it only had a small shed that housed the excess gym equipment not normally used. With a single step he fell from the roof, the wind rippled around his clothes. His body slowed his descent moments before he hit the ground, magic kept him aloft in the air. As little time as he had, there was still enough. It would take time for him to gather enough souls for a portal powerful enough for the Void to use. He didn't want to end his mission yet. Janna was still far from his grasp. If he could somehow postpone his final order… just enough to win her heart, then he would.

Underneath the shadow of the school he jumped the high perimeter wall and slipped into the back alleys of the city. He tested his magic by opening a large portal. He was stronger that wasn't lie. Mejai's book still had enough power to fuel him. It had a hunger unlike that of the Void. There was a backlash, the two different types of magic mixed unexpectedly. A surge of power threatened to tear his body apart, the resulting arc of power struck the portal. Malzahar dropped the book and looked onwards in shock. He hadn't summoned a large voidling like he wanted.

The portal was blackened and oozed like thick ink. Instead of ripping open it dissolved, like the portal was burning the world with acid. The edges of the portal fell away into a swirling mass. Malzahar took a step closer to try and see inside. Two arms adorned with large wicked red blades jutted out, causing the prophet to take a step back. They felt around for solid ground, the ends of the blades stabbing hard into the concrete below. Slowly a being emerged, the body coming out of the portal as if it was escaping tar. A featureless face appeared, its ice cold blue eyes staring at Malzahar. It swiveled its head, the bones in its neck popped and cracked with the movement. Pulling itself free the creature floated in full view of Malzahar. It was a wraith, its body was completely black, and it lacked a lower half. Where legs should be was the end of a spinal column. The wraith oozed, each droplet that fell away from it's corpse like body evaporated instantly into a black haze. It was in a constant shift between melting and evaporating to re-solidifying seconds later.

Malzahar looked at the being with astonishment. He had never summoned anything like this before. He picked up Mejai's tome from the ground, holding it protectively in the crook of his arms. Nothing told him this creature wasn't dangerous, he had to assume if it had the chance it would take the book from him. "What are you?"

"Nocturne." The voice was an unsettling whisper. It actually frightened Malzahar. The voice sounded like it was right next to his ear. Malzahar couldn't tell if it just sounded like that or if it was some sort of telepathic communication. "You are afraid… my summoner."

It wasn't exactly a pledge of fealty, but it had acknowledged Malzahar that it was it's master. If it considered him its master, then he could use it. "I need souls, strong ones, enough of them to open a dimensional portal. Can you collect them for me?"

"As you wish." Nocturne shot through the sky without any hesitation, a trail of dusk left in his wake.

Malzahar didn't know whether he liked the creature or not. Something told him he couldn't quite trust it.

…

Nocturne flew through the sky, his arms held behind him. In his eyes the world looked like it was on fire, pulses of life here and there. Like tiny beacons on a black misty backdrop. Everything look ripe for the picking. He can sense two in particular. Their souls shone brightest, almost blindingly so. One was quickly moving farther and farther away. The other was still, for the moment stationary in the building below him. He dove down to the school, his body sifting through the air ducts easily as he turned into nothing but vapor. He resolidified once he entered the empty hallways. Keeping to the shadows he stalked the student within.

He found the room he was looking for. The soul behind the walls shining right through the thin walls. Turning to nothing back black vapor, Nocturne slipped between the door crack. The soul was unaware of his presence. She was tall, slender and her long blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail. Nocturne came up from behind. His claw like fingers extended turning into tendrils of magic. They slipped into her mind, tethering her to him with unspeakable horror.

Janna was quietly reading when flashes of memories came flooding up. Ones long since locked away. She could see the past, her past. She could see herself and her fellow guardians. Their faces were only a haze in her mind. But she could feel the anguish on their faces. All around her was destroyed, her friends and allies scattered after a battle. The vortex of twisting energy the Void controlled torrented all around her. Whipping her hair and sending her senses in a top spin. Her arms felt weak as she tried to hold onto... She was- Janna forced herself to look away, disrupting the vision. Halting it, like she paused a movie on an old vhs tape. Everything had a distortion of static around it. All around her she had to look at her failures. An uneasy whisper rang through her ears, laughing at her misery. It sent a chill up her spine and her blood ran cold. Moving away from the scene Jana felt the ground beneath her give way before she could get too far. She lost her balance and she fell through the ground, it tore away into darkness. The only light was from the hole she left in reality, a single spotlight focused on her as she fell. _I'm sorry I'm sorry._ Janna curled herself into a tight ball. Tears ran up her face and disappeared into the nothing around her. She was alone, like she was before.

Janna wanted to scream, her throat was tight and she couldn't breath. What came out was only a weak airy hiss. Her mind slingshotted back into reality and it sent her into a daze. He eyes went wide with panic, just looking at the book in front of her felt like a massive obstacle. She could barely focus on the words let alone read them. A heavy pressure pushed on her mind, and she could feel an oppressing force behind her. She gripped the table hard in her hands, leaning forward she pushed herself up onto her feet. Her legs wobbled with the effort. It took all she had to turn around. Her head was still looking down, like the weight of her skull was too heavy to lift. Behind her was a shadow almost indistinguishable in her peripheral view. She forced her eyes upward, facing the source of her sudden torment. What she saw made her fall back into the table.

Nocturne held Janna's head in his grasp. Her fear was intoxicating to him. She looked at him with eyes wide and her whole body shook. Nocturne's 'face' contorted. From underneath his inky skin his jaw moved, tearing open flesh to reveal a mouthful of bare blackened teeth.

Janna grit her teeth, she needed to breath, the blood was rushing to the top of her head and the pounding thrum of her heart beat against her ears. She forced herself to push the offending creature away. Her hands made contact and sunk deep into its body. It was cold to the touch and she could feel the ribcage hidden underneath. Her heart threatened to burst from her chest from sheer shock. She pulled a hand away and a thick gunk of wraith came with it, stuck between her fingers like tar. Her warmth was being siphoned away into the creature. Nocturne leaned in, his face coming too close to her own. Her eyes were locked to his, they took up her entire view. Her mouth opened to suck in air. He let out a guttural laugh. His breath tasted like wet ash on her tongue and it burned the inside of her mouth. She fell to the floor, her legs could no longer keep her standing. Her head bounced off the wood with a dull thud. The sudden impact made her vision blur, threatening to knock her out if she let her grip on consciousness slip.

From the floor Janna looked up. The wraith hovered over her, the claws on his hands contorted back into proper fingers with sickening pops. For what seemed like an eternity it stayed there, slowly reaching out to her. The dark magic it controled built up in the palm of his hand. Janna felt it. It pulled at the core of her being, taking her life by the root.

Hot tears stung her eyes. "L-Lux…" She said with unease. Her nails dug painfully into the hardwood floor as she clawed her way back. She cannot let this thing take her. Her hands pushed herself up and away, her legs kicked out in front of her. Breaking whatever magical hold he had on her.

Nocturne was surprised by the soul's determination to live. He had never seen one like it before. It felt ancient, as if it had lived many lives prior to this one. He let go, the girl's soul was too firmly settled within her. "Stop struggling little soul, help is not coming."

His voice whispered into her ear, making Janna flinch in surprise. She took in a large gulp of air, then another. Long even breaths. She was afraid she would start hyperventilating. She had to calm herself down. It wouldn't help if her nerves were too full of adrenaline to fight this monster. Scrambling underneath the table, she turned over onto her hands and knees.

Nocturne laughed. Seemed like he will have to do this by force. He crossed his arms, letting the blades on them extend to their full length. There was a sharp hiss of metal on metal as the blades clicked into place. With them extended Nocturne lunged forward uncrossing his arms and slicing the table cleanly in half.

Janna rolled forewards, taking cover behind one half of the table. Pushing against the debris she brought the table up and into Nocturne. It hit the wraith square in the chest, creating enough space for her to run out of the room. She ran into the hallway, ducking around a corner to quickly catch her breath. She had never encountered anything like him before, she wasn't even sure if it was a void creature. Will her magic even be effective against such a being? Either way, she needed to fight back. Her breathing was back to normal and her nerves have calmed down. It wasn't long until Nocturne rounded the corner. She was ready this time.

Janna's eyes narrowed at Nocturne and she summoned her staff to her side. With a quick twirl she was enveloped in a bright light, transforming her into the Star Guardian. When Janna was done she was surprised to see Nocturne no where to be seen. Warily she held her staff at the ready, looking down the hallway for the wraith. Moving to the window, she was surprised when she saw it fleeing high into the evening sky. Her grip tightened on her staff as she made a dash to the stairs. She could not allow such a creature to wander the city freely.

Nocturne was shuddering. The light. The soul shined bright like he had never seen before, the intensity of it burned him. He needed to find a different target. He scanned the city below. There, a soul that burned bright like the one before but not quite the same.

* * *

Poppy was lazing about in the dorm building's lounge room. She hadn't left since her first trek down the stairs. Lulu's soup had really done the trick. She no longer felt weak and her headache was long gone. The stomachache was still there. That was caused by eating too much soup though, so Poppy chalked that one up as a good thing. She rolled over so she was laying on the couch lengthwise. She didn't take up too much space, her yordle height would barely stretch across two cushions. Even though today had started off pretty bad, it had turned out to be all in her head. Poppy stretched her arms out until she heard a satisfying pop and then relaxed further into her seat.

The sound of the door opening caught the yordle's attention. She closed her laptop and hopped to her feet. She tip toed on the cushion to peek over the couch's backrest. Students were filing into the building. Poppy saw a familiar face and waved to them.

Tristana was bounding over to the couch. The yordle looked like she could be Poppy's sister, she had white hair like her except it was cut short. She waved to Poppy, "Hey Pops. Heard you were sick." She enjoyed the face Poppy made whenever she called her by that nickname.

"Yeah, but I'm feeling much better now." Poppy motioned for her friend to take a seat on the couch. "Lulu made me some soup."

"And you ate it?" Tristana walked to the front of the couch and hopped up onto the cushion. It caught her in the gut and she had to kick comically to get all the way atop of it. When she was seated she scooted all the way back so she can sink into the cushion and the backrest.

"Hey, she's a good cook." Poppy crossed her arms, defending Lulu's cooking skills. "There's still some left if you want to try it." She jabbed a thumb to the kitchen. The pot of soup sat on the counter. It had long since cooled.

Tristana shook her head. "Nah, Teemo is taking me to go eat out."

Poppy raised a single accusatory eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Whoa, It's NOT like that. He's just a good friend." To Tristana's credit, she didn't blush at all. Whatever was between the two yordles was strictly platonic. If only Rumble can see that. Even if Poppy believed her, she rolled her eyes to get under Tristana's skin. Tristana ignored the bait. "You should come too if you're feeling better."

"And be the third wheel? No thanks." Poppy deadpanned. "Besides, I'm still gross from sitting around all day." She gestured to her oversized shirt and basketball shorts. They were only slightly smelly from sweat. Now that Poppy thought about it, she should rush upstairs and change if she wanted to avoid the other students. She hated to be the one known as the yordle who made the lounge smell. "Actually I'm heading back upstairs to take a shower while they're still free. I'll talk to you later, Trist." Poppy scooted off the couch and grabbed her laptop.

Tristana mocked a salute and brought her phone out to text Teemo.

Poppy made it up only five steps before she heard a scream come from the front door. She turned to see a black as ink ghost hovering in the doorframe. Girls were scattering away from the thing, afraid it might attack at a moment's notice. It looked like it was scanning the room, searching for something. A bright flash made the wraith flinch and lash out at the source of light. Ahri screamed and ducked as her phone was cleaved in two, a shower of plastic bits hit the wall next to her. At least she got a clean photo posted, that was going straight onto her Star Guardian blog. Poppy took a step down, thinking she would do something to help. As soon as she did the wraith locked eyes on her. In a blink of an eye it charge at her. Poppy yelped and rushed up the steps, dropping her laptop while she was at it. She bounded up each step on all fours. She was pushed forward when a force struck the step below her. Her chin scraped against the wooden floorboard painfully.

Nocturne had rammed his blade two feet deep into the wooden step, missing Poppy by an inch. The yordle turned and saw the wraith struggling to pull itself free. Seeing an opening Poppy cocked her leg back and kicked as hard as she could, catching it right between the eyes.

"Eat my size threes!" Poppy yelled, and kicked again. This time it caught Nocturne right in the temple.

With Nocturn momentarily stunned, Poppy ducked underneath it and ran back down the stairs. Taking four steps at a time. For a yordle it was quite dangerous, at her size she was jumping gaps as tall and as wide as her. She hit the bottom and rolled to soften her landing. Everyone quickly got out of her way, not wanting to get caught up in the monster's hunt. For whatever reason the wraith had chosen her as its prey. She reached the door, swinging it open as she ran right through. She jumped the stoop and skidded to a halt at the sidewalk. Her head swung from one end of the street to the other, without a second thought Poppy ran down the street. Headed away from the school.

As fast her little legs could take her, Poppy ran down the street. Unaware that the creature could track her by the fire burning in her soul. All she knew was that she needed to lure it away from everyone else. When she got far away enough then she'll figure out a plan on how to escape. She took a corner and ran down a large main street. She looked up, on the watch for the wraith. There was a thick blanket of clouds stretching across the sky. Only a handful of stars peeked out from the cover. Actually she could only see one clearly, no clouds obscured its light. The sight of its light made her feel secure.

Strangely her nightmare came back to her at that moment. She wanted to shake the thought, scared of how the dream ended with her falling into the abyss. But that part didn't play, instead it was the beginning. Of her soaring through the air, and calling out to the lights falling around her. She was calling out to the... _Guardians._

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap! Poppy's time to shine is soon upon us. I'm kinda excited how this is turning out. Next chapter won't be coming as quickly as the others. I gotta learn to pace myself or else I'd burn myself out at this rate. Also, before I go, what does everyone think of these long chapters? Personally I love fics with massive chapters so I try to write as much as I can for mine.

Anyways. See you all soon. Love you, bye.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own League of Legends, also I'm running out of disclaimer jokes…

A/N: Hey long time no see, even if it's been barely a month since my last update it felt like a long time has passed. Got another long chapter for everyone to enjoy. Hey did you guys know that a piece of writing is considered a novel if it is longer than 40,000 words? Okay it depends on who you ask… but I'm taking what I can get. With this chapter I technically wrote a novel's length worth of fanfiction, and I'm not not even close to being done. Wooo.

To answer valguienmas1's question left in their review - I wrote Jayce as an otaku because I wanted Ezreal to have a friend that shared the same interests as him. Ezreal is totally an otaku himself, no one dances the Haruhi dance unless they watch anime, and so I decided to have Jayce as one too so they can more in common. I know his lore has him as a genius inventor (that may play a part I'm sure, just don't know when) and a charismatic poster boy. The last part I play off as it being cheesy machismo because I find it more entertaining and funner to write..

With that said, on with the show~!

* * *

"For the last time this isn't a double date." Ezreal said. He was annoyed now. He, Lux, Quinn, and Jayce had just reached their stop on the train. The group hopped off the train and headed straight down to the street. The station was only a quick walk to Piltover's Downtown district. The plaza Ezreal had in mind had everything one could want for any interesting hobby a person could have. The blonde boy had thought Lux could use a pick me up and was bee lining it towards his favorite cafe. It was no Morgana's Sinful Succulence, but that was all the way over in Noxus. And this one was a damn close second in his opinion. Quinn and Lux were a few steps behind him and Jayce, talking to each other quietly. Ezreal was trying to lay down the ground rules for their trip downtown. He wanted Jayce to understand right off the bat that this wasn't anything special. This was definitely not a this a thing between him and Lux. Nor was it a set up between Jayce and Quinn. The last thing Ezreal wanted was for Jayce to misinterpret this whole thing and ruin it. "Lux was feeling upset today so _we_ ," Ezreal motioned to both himself and Jayce. "are going to show her and Quinn a good time without making it awkward."

"When have I ever made anything awkward?" Jayce said. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. Contrary to Ezreal's belief he wasn't that stupid (He had exceptional grades). He just believed in casting a wide net when it came to love.

Ezreal returned a deadpanned look that screamed, 'you can't be serious.'

Luckily Lux chimed in before Jayce could protest, stepping between the two of them. "So where are you guys taking us? I haven't really been up here before." She looked around the street amazed at the sights around her. The buildings were really high, there were a few shops here and there. The top floors were reserved for apartments. The price of which must be insanely high. She never gotten a good view of the cities she went to as the Star Guardian. Too preoccupied with saving the world to appreciate the scenery around her.

"Yeah me neither." Quinn said with a shrug, keeping a watchful eye on Ezreal. Lux had stopped hanging out with her brother and his friends. So Shyvana and Quinn had gotten curious. They had noticed the two blondes hanging out more frequently. They would talk before and after class, maybe in the hallway before they went off to their clubs. For a while Quinn thought there was nothing to it. Then Lux decided to give her homemade lunch to Ezreal and head off to the rooftop alone with him. She had thought Ezreal was attached to the hip with Jayce. Those two ate lunch together all the time, watching anime on a phone with shared headphones. When she overheard Ezreal inviting Lux to tag along with him Shyvana told her to tail them so she could watch out for Lux. "You aren't taking us to any weird places are you?"

"Nah." Ezreal brushed Quinn's skepticism off. He made sure he was taking the lead on this outing, and he was going to show the girls the best of downtown. "We're going to a cafe at the end of the plaza. No gimmicks unlike the rest of the places here, just great desserts and coffee." They turned the corner at a main street so they can enter downtown proper. When the plaza came into view both the girls looked on in wide eyed amusement. Every corner of the plaza was packed, the weekend had brought everyone out tonight. Even some social shut ins from the looks of it. All around people walked by in a never ending flow up and down the streets, only interrupted when some broke off to enter a store or stop to look at an advertisement. The stores were trying their best to attract the most costumers. Some had employees standing out in front handing out flyers or stamp cards to their restaurants. The cards were actually really useful, buy enough from a restaurant and you can end up with a free meal. Between Ezreal and Jayce, they had three or four free lunches lined up for over the weekend. Ezreal turned to everyone. "You girls might want to stick close. You won't believe how easy it is to get separated."

Lux nodded and took a step closer to Ezreal. Jayce waggled an eyebrow at Quinn who decided to take a step closer to Lux.

Together all four walked through the crowd.

* * *

Janna was high above the city, her eyes scanned the ever darkening sky for any trace of Nocturne. The wraith's shadowy body was proving to be useful camouflage against the dimming sunset. She tore her gaze away from the city and to her phone. On the screen Lux's name sat just below her thumb. Janna was hesitating, and she knew it. She should call Lux, tell her about the wraith and the threat it poses. But. Janna's mind flashed back to the scenes Nocturne had dredged up in her mind. Her chest ached at the memories and now her imagination was running wild with them. Replacing the faces of old allies with Lux. Janna shook her head, trying to push away the intrusive thoughts. Her hand wouldn't stop shaking, only her determination kept her mind calm enough to hunt the wraith down.

"Zephyr." Janna said, finally breaking the silence of the night air. She looked to her guardian spirit. The small weasel-fox creature hovered into Janna's view, its large eyes watched Janna with concern. "We need to widen our search. Head south and keep an eye out for that wraith. If you find it, lead it back to me or come get me." Zephyr nodded and shot past Janna. The little spirit disappeared into the city in a second.

Janna looked down to her phone one last time. The last thing she wanted was to expose Lux to such a demon. Especially with its ability to bring about one's fears. She could barely keep herself composed after what it had done. But Lux was a guardian and as such was a warrior. Janna tightened her grip on her phone as she called…

It went to voicemail. Janna cursed, Lux must be too preoccupied to answer her phone. That or she didn't notice it ring. She instead sent out a text to her, telling her it's an emergency. To come back to school as quickly as she could and call her at once.

…

Poppy was making a mad dash through the winding streets. She kept looking back to see if the wraith was still on her tail. There was a glint of crimson metal as Nocturne turned the street and came into view. Poppy gulped a hard lump in her throat. She had been running for a while now. Only being able to catch her breath if she found a alley way to momentarily duck into. The damn thing was always on her. The yordle was unaware that it was tracking her through other means. Nocturne didn't rely on sight alone. In his visions souls shone bright like flames. Poppy's soul was that of a guardian, unbeknownst to the host, and so shone bright like a beacon.

"Damnit" Poppy swore under her breath. She ran around another street, looping back from where she came. If she went too far south she would run into Targon Hills, running up and down the hills would be killer on Poppy's legs. Sometimes she hated having such stubby legs. When she couldn't see Nocturne anymore, Poppy slumped against a brick wall. The building had a small alcove she could hide in, probably some entry to a closed business or office. Her breath was ragged and her lungs felt like they were on fire. "Think, think." Poppy screwed her eyes shut. She racked her brain, trying to come up with some sort of idea to get rid of her pursuer. The Star Guardians popped into her mind again. Poppy knew she needed their help, this was obviously something they could deal with. How could she contact them? Her dream didn't tell her that, only that she had some kind of connection to them.

A metal on metal hiss threw Poppy back to reality. On instinct she ducked as a large metal blade came crashing into the wall. Rolling to the ground Poppy had noticed that the blade would have cleaved her head clean off if she didn't dodge in time.

Wretching the blade off the wall took a bit of effort. It gave Poppy enough time to gather her thoughts and run off again. Nocturne let out an inhuman growl. He was getting frustrated. Building up some of his vapor, he shot out a stream of dusk towards Poppy. The dark energy shot through Poppy but didn't break her stride. Poppy's skin burned as if she had touched dry ice, it was incredibly cold. Her vision was clouded too. Darkness enveloped her, as if the shadows of the buildings had gotten thicker and fell on her like a blanket. She kept running, not knowing what else to do. Nocturne came upon her too quickly, riding the darkness around Poppy with increased speed. His finger extending with sickening pops, the bones contorting into tendrils to dig into her mind. Poppy could do nothing as she felt his fingers magically bor into her head, finding her inner most fear.

All of a sudden Poppy was back in the past, she was a little girl again. She was... somewhere… The memories were too foggy, almost indistinguishable. The buildings around her were a blur and so was the ground. The only clear thing was the tall yordle standing next to Poppy, her father. He looked down on Poppy. His kind eyes had wrinkles around them, and his large moustache was a broad stroke of fur that traveled from ear to ear. Poppy's heart welled at his presence. He reached down and ruffled her hair, messing her bangs and loosening her carefully made pigtails. The little act made Poppy blush and giggle. She hadn't seen him since… since. Poppy looked around again. The surroundings becoming clear with realization. _No, no._ Poppy looked over to her father, he was carrying a package. A delivery from his metal shop.

"Hey let's take a shortcut. If we can drop this package off early we can grab a treat on our way home." He smiled and gestured to an alley. "This should take us through to the-"

"NO!" Poppy practically screamed. She tugged at her father's arm. Too aware of what was waiting for them in the alleyway. The memory froze, as if she had paused a VHS tape and static edged around the corners of her eyes. Then it sped up, forcing the memory to play unaltered. She found herself in the alley way now, despite her protests seconds ago. Her father jovially made his way through it. Poppy felt a lump grow in her throat. She clutched her shirt tightly, threatening to tear the fabric. She hated this night. Looking back now, she should've seen them. The shadows at the end of the alley moved too obviously, her father was blissfully unaware of the threat. Two figures appeared from the other end of the alley.

The muggers walked ominously as they came into view, they quickly blocked off Poppy and her father. They were trapped in the alley way. Words became muffled and the noise around her dropped off to silence as Poppy watched on. The muggers were saying something, their mouths moved but no sound came out. Her father said something back to them, holding his package firmly in his hands and kept his daughter close. His arm was a protective shield to her. There was another exchange, then a short beat, then an eruption of violence as the muggers lept for her father. Her father faced the muggers head on, creating enough of a gap for Poppy to run. She could see her father looking at her, eyes wide with terror. He was yelling for her to run. She didn't want to. She wanted to stand her ground, but before she knew it she was moving away, the scene playing before her eyes unhindered by her protests. It played like it had back then. She didn't get far, only far away enough to find a hiding spot amongst the trash bins. She was nothing but a coward. Tears stained her cheeks as she remembered watching her father being pushed hard against the wall. The mugger holding a dagger in his side. Poppy almost yelped at the sight, her hands catching the noise before it could escape. Her hands were clasped tightly around her mouth. With forced silence she ducked further into her hiding spot. The muggers' shadows moved over her, unaware of her presence. They disappeared down the alley from where they came. Poppy didn't know how long she had stayed there. Crying hot burning tears silently in fear that the muggers might come back for her.

The darkness started to choke Poppy as she fell deeper and deeper into the memory. Nocturne hovered over the small yordle. His dark magic pulling her fears to the front of her mind. Blood trickled out of her nose and her eyes rolled back, the stress he was putting on her was slowly killing her. Poppy weakly grasped Nocturne's arms. It was a futile attempt at breaking free. She probably wasn't even aware she was even trying. Nocturne had to laugh at that thought, she definitely had a fighter's spirit. It wouldn't matter, soon enough she would collapse ripe and ready for him to harvest her soul.

Biting wind suddenly surrounded Nocturne, breaking his concentration. He dropped Poppy from his grasp, her small body wobbled as she barely stood up. Nocturne saw a small creature whip around him, it carried enough wind behind it to cut into his body. With a hiss, Nocturne slashed at the creature. It swiftly dodged his blade, traveling up Nocturne's arm and past his head. Turning his attention away from Poppy.

The distraction was enough to wake Poppy from her daze. Dreaded memories fell away back into the recesses of her mind. She steadied herself desperately trying to keep on her feet. Feeling the side of her head, Poppy could feel the thrum of her head beat against her skull. She was mad and afraid. What kind of monster was this thing? Poppy shook her head, forcing herself to regain her focus. She looked up and saw the flurry of strikes Nocturne was making. He was slowly being pulled away from Poppy thanks to the small creature. Poppy didn't question it. She took the opportunity as soon as she saw it. She started to run as fast as she can again, despite the burning in her lungs telling her to stop.

She hated the feeling that was welling up in her gut. It was fear, like from that night her father died. Once again she was doing nothing but running away. Tears welled up in the corner of her eyes. Furiously she wiped them away with her forearm. No matter how much she tried though, the tears kept on coming. _Dad, what do I do… I wish you were still here._ Poppy's father always knew what to do. He was brilliant and strong. A hard worker that built up his own business with her bare hands. What was Poppy?

The Star Guardian was wrong, she was nothing compared to them. Her a guardian? Yeah right. Like she could make a good guardian. She couldn't fight like them. If she could, then that night in the alleyway would have ended differently. She wouldn't have hid and cried like a child. No, all she was just some little yordle. She knew her limitations, and this was way above what she could do.

Poppy dug deeper and kept her legs pumping. She ran back north, heading up a street that connected to the main street. The spirit that fought off Nocturne flew up next to her. Poppy would have let out a small yelp if her lungs weren't already worn out. The creature waved to her, signalling to follow after it. Poppy starred for a long moment, trying to figure out if she should trust it or not. Her gut said yes so she nodded to the creature. If it hadn't saved her, she wouldn't know what would have happened to her. Zephyr returned a nod and flew ahead, there was a small bit of light trailing behind it. The light made it easy for Poppy to follow. Not only that but the creature had a bit of a tailwind to it. Poppy could feel her stride becoming stronger, moving her faster with each step.

* * *

"Wow!" Lux said. She watched in excitement as the waitress brought out their orders. The group of teens were seated in the corner of the cafe inside a booth. Ezreal and Lux sat next to each other. Which forced Quinn and Jayce to sit next to each other. The waitress placed a cake in front of Lux, who stared at it hungrily. It was a large for a personal cake and shaped to look like a cute cat laying on it's back with a huge rotund belly. The cake was chocolate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream next to it, there was also a couple of fruit slices placed around all of it. The whole thing was styled to look like a small pet's comfy bed.

"The best part is that it's a molten cake!" Ezreal said as he leaned in. He pointed to the large center body. "Cut into it."

Lux did as he said. There was a bit of resistance as the thin fondant on the cake held its shape. A second late it broke and chocolate syrup erupted from inside. The syrup oozed onto her plate and covered the fruits around the cake. Lux squealed in delight as she took her first bite, using her fork to grab as much cake and chocolate covered fruit as she could on the small utensil. It was simply magnificent. The molten center was actually bitter so the sweet cake contrasted well with it. There was even slight hints of raspberry in the syrup. It was a careful balance of flavors that danced on her tongue. Lux took her first bite slow, she wanted to savor it as much as she could. She hummed happily as she licked her lips.

Ezreal laughed at Lux's amusement before turning his attention to his parfait. On top it had fruits cut into thin strips and skewered with pocky, and the thin chocolate bar propped up in the middle was molded to look like a bird. It was suppose to resemble a peacock. To him it looked like a turkey, mainly because of the fat scoop of ice cream on top made the body look way bigger than it was suppose to be. He took out one of the pocky skewers to start, it would be hard to eat with them in the way. To be honest, this wasn't his favorite dessert, he had only chosen it because he was determined to try at least one of each item on the menu and he hadn't tried this one yet. He was kinda jealous of Lux's cake, that one was really good and was the reason why he had recommended it to her. He was surprised when Lux leaned in to look at his own dessert. She laughed when he mentioned it looked like a turkey to him.

Quinn's eyes darted back and forth between Lux and Ezreal. They were in a deep conversation with one another. _Jeez, look at these two idiots._ She looked down to her cup of hot coffee. It was a large mug with an absurd amount of foam and cream. They had asked her what she wanted to put in her cup. Jayce explained that they did little designs in the cream. Normally they drew things like flowers or leaves. Quinn had asked for a bird, like her pet cockatoo Valor. A doodle of a bird stared back at her from her cup of coffee, it was only a head as they couldn't fit the whole body without losing all the details. She smiled and took a generous sip. It was sweet, really sweet actually. She figured she was drinking a sundae more than a cup of coffee. Subtly she sent a quick text off to Shyvana, her phone hidden underneath the table. So far Ezreal has been nothing but nice to Lux. The way the two were acting were pretty much confirming Quinn's and Shyvana's suspicions. They knew Lux had a crush on Ezreal, now it looked like she's actually taking steps forward in it.

Jayce sighed and leaned over to Quinn so he could whisper to her, "I feel like a third wheel here."

Quinn almost rolled her eyes at him, but she had to agree with him. She did feel out of place watching the two blondes talk to each other. At some point Ezreal had scooted closer to Lux, they were only a hand's width apart from each other now. "Me too." Quinn said.

Nodding, Jayce broke into Ezreal's conversation. There was no way he was going to sit on the sidelines awkwardly all night, 'not a date' yeah right. "Want to hit up the arcade afterwards?" There was a spark in Ezreal's eyes when the arcade was mentioned. He was an avid video gamer. He loved playing games and Jayce knew he wouldn't turn down any challenge thrown at him. Back in Ezreal's dorm room they actually had a tally chart, marking down how many wins each person had over the other. Currently Ezreal was winning by four tallies.

"Hell yeah. They just made a new dance game. It's all motion controls." Ezreal said excitedly.

"That sound cool." Lux said from her side of the booth. She never played too many video games, too much of her time was spent on studying. Her parents had expected a lot from Lux, and so they restricted a lot of her free time. Honestly because of the slew of lessons she had to take from private tutors she had lost interest in simpler things. Now that she was out here away from her parents they had some appeal. She was suppose to be having fun, and what better way was there than to kill time at an arcade. "I've never been in an arcade before." She admitted. Ezreal and Jayce looked shocked, like they couldn't believe any healthy teenager could have lived through sixteen years of their life without having stepped one foot in an arcade. Quinn on the other hand understood. From what she had heard from Shyvana, Garen and Lux's parents were really strict.

"You'll love it." Ezreal said. There was a few games he could think of that would most likely interest Lux.

The boys started to eat faster, wanting to get to the arcade as quickly as they could. Even though the one they knew would be open until 2 in the morning, they didn't want to waste any time. Quinn shook her head. She decided to take her time with her coffee. Lux ate slowly too. She didn't want to rush eating her cake. How could she savor it if she ate it all in a few bites? Besides she was in no hurry.

* * *

Poppy stopped, her hands fell onto her knees as she took in giant gulps of air. She looked over to the spirit guiding her. It had lead her back up the main street, dipping into alleyway after alleyway to slow her pursuer down. Now they were at a large business district. At least Poppy thought she was in a business district. The sun was barely above the horizon now, in only a few more minutes the night would truly begin. She won't be able to see in the sky anymore. The dim moonlight and handful of streetlights were the only things illuminating the city. The spirit was eyeing the sky. Poppy hoped she had lost the wraith, she would suspect it would be harder for her to see it now that the sun had finally set. Suddenly the spirit shot up into the sky, leaving Poppy stunned at its sudden departure. "Hey wait! Where are you going!?" Poppy called up to it. She waved her hands frantically to try and grab its attention. When it didn't reappear Poppy cursed. She leaned onto the building wall. Her back slamming hard against it in frustration. What was she gonna do now?

She felt it more than saw it. The air around her seemed to cool, the thin layer of fur she had on her skin pricked up at the sensation. The lights around her seemed to dim as she was hit with a bout of paranoia. The shadows grew in a dark haze and crept closer to Poppy. The little yordle's heart raced as two eyes stared out at her through the darkness. Their ice cold color made Poppy freeze. Suddenly they grew as Nocturne flew towards Poppy with terrifying speed. His blades held out like a diver ready to pierce whatever lay in his way. Poppy's legs were set in stone, she couldn't move. All that running had only tired her out and now when it mattered she was caught like a deer in headlights.

Poppy braced herself, her eyes shutting as tight as she could, when a torrent of wind surrounded her. The harsh winds created a barrier between her and Nocturne, with her in the eye of the miniature storm. Nocturne slammed into wind barrier his blades sinking too deeply for Poppy's comfort. Nocturne was flung away a second later when the wind around Poppy expanded. The wraith dug his blades into the ground, tearing up the sidewalk to slow himself. Amazed, Poppy looked around for the source of the magic that saved her. She saw the Star Guardian hovering slowly to the ground. The spirit that guided Poppy was resting on her shoulder. Poppy let out a sigh of relief before collapsing down onto the ground. Her legs could no longer hold her weight.

"You are safe now." Janna said, her staff held up ready to fight.

Nocturne winced as it looked at Janna. Her soul was shining like a star. It almost burned him as he continued to look. Carefully he pulled back away from the two, using the shadows around him as cover. He needed to be careful, the purple one held magic in her that could harm him. "I saw your fears…" His voice whispered into her ears.

Janna blocked it out, not wanting to play into his hands. If she got too riled up she might slip up and leave herself defenseless against him. She landed onto the sidewalk, moving so she could stand protectively over Poppy. "Can you stand?" Janna asked without looking. She kept her eyes on the darkness, waiting for Nocturne to show his face.

Poppy shook her head then realised the Guardian wouldn't see her answer and so let out a raspy "No." She was still catching her breath, standing up was way out of the question.

"Okay stay behind me then." Janna saw Nocturne jut forward at an odd angle, aimed straight for Poppy. Quickly Janna sent Zephyr to slow his movement. Just as quickly Nocturne's form turned to vapor, becoming a shroud of darkness. Zephyr fell through Nocturne, doing nothing to impede his attack. Janna strengthened her protective shield on Poppy and met the wraith head on.

Her staff clashed against his blades briefly before he rebounded and whirled around Janna, catching the shield on Poppy with one of his blades in a wide cleave. Poppy felt the impact on the shield, her body yielded and skidded further into the hard concrete. She scrambled backwards completely helpless. The fear burned in her chest as she watched on.

Janna twirled her staff, parrying a strike from Nocturne to get into his guard. She dug her heels in and pushed her staff as hard as she could into his chest, pivoting so she could pin the offending demon against the wall. His blades were attached to his forearms, their cumbersome size made it impossible to get an angle on the guardian. Janna let her fury build into a raging torrent of wind. Her body was surrounded by a towering gale. The razor sharp wind cut into Nocturne and cracked the brick wall behind him.

Nocturne yelled in pain, the inhuman screech made Poppy flinch at the sound. The wind held magic that burned him to his core. Janna didn't care. Her fear was fueling her now. She wanted nothing more than to destroy the demon before it could harm anyone else. Nocturne struggled in her grasp. He couldn't concentrate long enough to shift forms, he doubted it would help if he did. The wind was strong enough to scatter the vapor before he would be able to reform. He relied on his other magic. Fighting through the torrent Janna channeled he extended out his fingers into tendrils. Janna felt them stab into her psyche, and the memories came rushing back like a tidal wave. She grit her teeth and poured more of her power into the gale building up all around her. The wind was cutting into her skin now, the magic she was channeling was turning on her. She was pushing the upper limits of her power. Sharp marks cut into Janna's exposed arms and her face. But the damned wraith wouldn't die. She could feel him rooting further into her mind, deeper and deeper past mental blocks she put up a year ago. Blood came out of her nose and ears, it rolled down her head before the wind took it. It was a battle of endurance, all it took was for one to lose their concentration.

 _Ala'aldeen…_ Janna didn't know if she thought that or if it was Nocturne whispering in her mind. Remember him sent a wave of… regret… through her entire body. It ached deep in her heart. How had she forgotten… Her grip on her powers faltered at the thought.

Nocturne felt the wind slow and he capitalized on it. His form turned to nothing but a shroud of darkness once again. He wrapped around Janna like a cloak, his grip on her mind still tight following the trail that lead to the source of all her fear, before reforming behind Janna. Nocturne gripped Janna's head in one hand the other other held her arm tightly. His claw like fingers holding so tightly that they drew blood. He slammed her into the wall forcefully. The impact knocked the wind out of Janna, and her gale died to a pitiful breeze. Janna's vision swam as her mind lost focus. She couldn't keep her mind on the here and now, it kept flitting back to the past. Nocturne laughed as he kept the guardian pinned. He drew back his arm with deadly purpose.

Poppy watched in horror. The scene felt too familiar. Her legs shook in fear as she remember the exact situation playing out when she was younger. She was too young to do anything then and now she was too weak to do anything now. Her fear burned in her chest and down her arms. It turned to anger and frustration. She hated herself for being so useless, she yelled at herself to do something. She can't let the guardian die because she was being like the coward she was back then. Forcing herself onto her feet she felt a warmth bloom in her. The fire that burned in her core fueled her body giving it a new kind of strength.

With a roar that no normal yordle can muster Poppy charged forward. Her body erupted in light enveloping her small form. Poppy's hair was turned into a bright blue shade and was adorned with a winged headband. Her baggy shirt and basketball shorts faded in the light. In their place the light built up more and more, coalescing into a dense set of armor. Her guardian uniform was nothing like the others. It was more akin to that of a knight. Smooth pauldrons and gauntlets weighed her arms down, and her torso was encased in a cuirass detailed with a large yellow star. Her legs wore a matching pair of greaves, making each footstep fall heavily. The only thing that resembled her fellow guardian's ensemble was that she wore a blue skirt.

Poppy tackled Nocturne, her small body belied the weight and power she carried. She slammed shoulder first into the wraith, she could feel the ribs his shadowy body hid crack under her pressure. His body flew back and hit the concrete sidewalk with a thud. Shaking his head Nocturne looked up to see Poppy's soul flare in brilliance. He winced as he looked at the two guardians. Their combined presence made Nocturne fall back into the darkness. He needed to rethink a plan of attack. Poppy threw her hand to the sky and an aura of blue light surrounded her. It trapped Nocturne in her steadfast presence cutting off his retreat. In her raised hand she summoned a hammer. It was gigantic compared to her small yordle body, practically three times her height. The long handle was wrapped in blue leather, and the head was a shining gold. On either side of the head was a winged star. With as much strength as she could Poppy swung the hammer downward. Nocturne braced himself, bringing his arms up so his blades can catch it. The crash sent a wave through Nocturnes body. He felt his whole being tremble from the trauma. The shock of the hammer continued down until it hit the ground, cracking the pavement in a star pattern. A second later light erupted from the cracks. It burned Nocturne, who thrashed at the pain. He pushed the hammer off and backed off as fast as he could. He did not make it far, he barely got airborne when a star shaped shield ricocheted onto his head. The strike made him stagger. He couldn't regain his thoughts in time when Poppy was on him again, catching the shield as easily as she threw it.

They locked weapons, Nocturne struggling to keep his arms up against Poppy's renewed strength. "Your courage sickens me." Nocturne harsh voice echoed in Poppy's ear. Nocturne dropped his guard and sent Poppy stumbling forward in surprise. Nocturne grabbed Poppy's head with his claws and dove back into her mind. Another dose of her nightmare will destroy any courage she built up.

The memory played out the same as it did before. Nocturne waited for the trembling fear so he could feed upon it, but it never came. The mental version of Poppy watched the worst day of her life play out with unwavering resolve. Her hand clenched tightly. "That won't work anymore." She said into the air. Even though her eyes were welling up with tears she never broke her gaze on her father or the muggers. "I know I can't change that night… no matter how much I want to. Instead I have to be strong, I can't let my fears and doubts stop me like it did that day. Dad always worked his hardest, he never let anyone say he couldn't do something. He stood taller than any yordle could, and was bigger than his height. And I need to always do the same. I might not be anything special but I can always try."

Nocturne's hold on Poppy shattered, he staggered backwards unable to understand how Poppy broke his hold. He needed to get away from these two. He could gamble on one. Janna's fear was her weakness. Poppy was something entirely different. Her fear was not stopping her. She powered through it, using the fear to find courage he did not think was possible. Poppy charged into Nocturne right into a wall. The impact stunned the wraith, he couldn't defend himself from Poppy's next swing. Her hands slipped to the end of the handle, allowing the full weight and momentum to carry into the strike. The hammer slammed into Nocturne. His ribs collapsed and the bones were pulverized into dust as he was driven into the wall like a nail. The wall behind him cracked into a star pattern. Nocturne couldn't pry himself out before the eruption of light burned away his vaporous body. His vapor was scattered to the winds, leaving Nocturne only a blackened skeleton trying desperately to reform itself.

"I'm not done yet you stupid ghost." Poppy choked up on her hammer. She spun it in her palm. The speed picked up so fast that the hammer was just a blur in a matter of seconds. As she spun it she was gathering light, condensing it in the hammer's head. When she was done it was a giant ball of blue light, almost like she held a dwarf star at the end of her hammer. She slammed the hammer down onto the ground sending a shockwave rushing straight into Nocturne. Blue light erupted beneath him. The light was so densely packed it hit like a wrecking ball. Nocturne's body was catapulted by the final attack, it limply fell through the night sky. He was like tiny shooting stars as the light that stuck to his body trailed off him.

Poppy watched what was left of Nocturne fall. She then realised that the guardian needed her assistance. Turning around Poppy saw Janna propped up with her staff, she was rubbing her head.

"Follow the remains Zephyr, we need to make sure the wraith is no more or else it could do more harm." Janna said weakly. Zephyr didn't want to leave Janna's side but did as it was told. Janna watched Zephyr chase after the fading light left by Poppy's final attack. As Zephyr left her sight her legs finally gave out beneath her. Poppy caught Janna before she could collapse to the floor.

"Hey, hey, stay with me." Poppy slapped the side of Janna's face. The sudden pain made Janna wince, it also kept her conscious.

Janna laughed, it was so frail Poppy almost missed it. "You have finally awakened my fellow guardian."

Her words made Poppy do a double take. She looked at Janna then down at her new clothes. They practically shined even in the dim moonlight. Her mind finally caught up with all that she had done, and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She was a guardian... Then that pink one wasn't just saying it. She really knew Poppy would be a guardian. It didn't make sense to the yordle. "I-I don't understand…"

"I'll explain later… First I need to… rest." Janna's words trailed off as she finally succumbed to exhaustion.

* * *

Lux laughed as Ezreal slumped against the railing as Jayce cheered next to his friend. They had just finished playing a set of songs from the newest dance game. It was motion controlled and so relied on a set of cameras built into the cabinet. They were taking turns and up next was Lux. She handed Quinn the stuffed Poro Ezreal had won her from a crane game and stepped onto the platform. Jayce was looking through the song list as Ezreal stepped off to make room for Lux. She was having so much fun. She was glad Ezreal had invited her to come along, who knew what she would be doing right now if she hadn't decided to come. Most likely she would still be moping from this morning's disagreement with Janna. Ezreal was being so sweet to her, thanks to him she was able to patch things up quickly with Janna. Her face flushed lightly when she continued to think of him. Quickly she shook her head and focused on the screen before her, Jayce was still choosing a song. Lux took a step forward. She read off a few song names to herself, suggesting a really pop-y song she liked and heard on the radio before. Jayce grimaced at her choice, then conceded when he couldn't find any other song he liked.

Ezreal stood next to Quinn to watch the two dance. He reached down to the floor to pluck a water bottle from the small case they bought. Arcades were always stuffy, and rarely had windows. Ezreal and Jayce told the girls it would be needed to stay hydrated. As he sipped from the bottle Quinn nudged him with her elbow. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Not bad Ez." She said.

"Thanks, I still lost though." He said.

"I mean Lux is having a great time. When she ate with us, me, Shyvana and the rest of the Demacians, she didn't talk much. Mostly just to her brother. But she's really opening up now. So, not bad."

"Hey she was feeling down so I just did what any other friend would do."

Quinn nodded. She pause for a second before saying, "Yeah… I guess me and Shy weren't really being good friends. I didn't even notice how she was feeling." Quinn looked over to Lux. She was smiling and dancing to the music while Jayce was struggling with the faster paced song. Who knew Lux was so bubbly. "Do us a favor then. Keep an eye on her for us."

Ezreal smiled "Of course."

Lux cheered and threw her hands up. Jayce was breathing heavily, winded from doing too many songs in a row. Both of them hopped off the mini platform and walked over to Ezreal and Quinn. Quinn handed the poro back to Lux who took it happily in her arms. Childish as it was, she was going to name the stuffed poro.

"What game should we play next?" Ezreal asked as he passed his water bottle to Jayce. He didn't care about backwash and he greedily drank the rest of the bottle.

Jayce wanted to grab another bite to eat, all the dancing had made him hungry again. Quinn asked to see if there was any shooting games for her to play. Lux fished her phone out of her pocket. She was so caught up in all the fun she lost track of time. If she stayed out too late Garen might start calling her. She noticed she had one unread text. Looking at the number she frowned. It was from Janna. Lux read the text and a chill ran up her spine. _An emergency?_ Lux looked at the timestamp. It was from over two hours ago. "...shit"

Lux rarely swore, when she did it caught Quinn's attention. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Ah, uh, y-yeah. I mean no." Lux handed the Poro off to Ezreal, who was now curious himself. "Something came up, I need to get going."

Ezreal looked over to Quinn who shrugged. "Oh okay. Well we can-"

"Sorry this is important, I'll see you guys later." Without another word Lux ran off. Leaving the others stunned and confused.

 _Agh! How can I be so careless. I'm so stupid!_ Lux was berating herself for her irresponsibility. She had a duty to uphold as a guardian. A Star Guardian was suppose to be a bastion, a protector against the Void. And she ignored all that for one night of fun. Lux ran through the plaza. It was still packed full of people who kept bumping into her at her frantic pace. To escape the crowd Lux ducked into the back alleys. She needed to transform. She could fly the rest of the way back to the school. She hadn't known she could fly until Janna had taught her. She wasn't a natural like Janna but if she needed to get somewhere quickly she could. Finding an empty alley Lux looked around to see if anyone was there.

Taking a deep breath Lux pulled out the magical baton. She spun it in her hand and her body was filled with magic. The Star Guardian stood were Lux was a moment before, she took a deep breath and took off into the sky.

…

Lux flew in bursts. She couldn't go long distances like Janna could and so she had to fly a couple blocks at a time. She was covering a massive distance, but she didn't know if she was being fast enough. Once the school had come into view Lux called Janna. It rang only once before Janna picked up. Her voice sounded weak and it made Lux worry.

"Janna! Are you okay? Where are you?" Lux said. Her voice cracked in her throat. "I-I should've been more attentive. I was-"

"Calm down, the situation is under control now..." Janna took a breath, from the other end it sounded like she was just waking up. "There was a demon loose in the city. It was taken care of and beaten back."

"That's good..." Lux was hesitant then let out a sigh of relief when she took in the news. She was hovering over the school now, her body slowly drifting downwards as she couldn't keep a steady height. "Where are you now?" Lux asked again.

"We are making our way back to the school."

"We?"

Lux couldn't hear the smile that form on Jana's lips, her tone was enough to convey her happiness. "There is someone I would very much like you to meet."

* * *

Ala'aldeen was at his desk pouring over the book Vel'Koz had given him. His apartment complex was tucked away in a forgotten corner of the city. He liked it, the seclusion gave him ample time to work his skills, and if need be comune with the denizens of the Void in peace. Barely anyone was ever here. He had a lot to do if he wanted to keep in the Void's favor and the privacy was much needed. Despite the book's thick size it was light reading material. Most pages were blank, left open for a soul to take its place. The parts that did have writing were of spells used to obtain souls. In theory he didn't even need to rip the entire soul away from the host to obtain its powers. Souls were powerful in that they were the collection of a person hopes and desires, the life essence of a person. A depressed soul had little power to offer compared to one filled with happiness and hope. Ala'aldeen laughed darkly to himself. He had to wonder if the contradictions whirling within him made his soul strong or weak.

He hummed in thought as he turned the page. There was more in the book besides soul manipulation. Whoever Mejai was they were incredibly powerful in their own right. The book reeked of magic, it made him wonder what kind of world Mejai came from and what could happen from mixing multiple sources of magic in a world devoid of it.

He was reminded of Nocturne. The wraith he summon was still out there, he had lost track of it as soon as he had summoned it. In truth the wraith scared Ala'aldeen. That in itself told him of its danger. He was afraid that the act of summoning the creature was not enough to bind it to his will. Voidlings can be controlled easily enough, their limited intelligence made it so. Nocturne on the other hand was more than self aware. Now that Ala'aldeen had time he re-molded the spell he used to summon Nocturne in his mind again. To decipher where the creature had come from. What he found out did not sit well with him. A creature from the dreamscape. To think he had inadvertently summoned such a demon. He would have to dispose of Nocturne as soon as possible, it was too much of a gamble to trust the wraith. He would rely on his own power to gather the souls he needed. He would also need to practice the spells. Killing a bunch of people to gather souls would surely gain unwanted attention.

Ala'aldeen sensed Nocturne before he saw him. The magic surrounding Nocturne felt weak, nothing like it was before. The wraith was calling back out to him, using some kind of link Ala'aldeen had with him from the summoning. Nocturne's body was thin, thinner than usual that is. He barely had any vapor surrounding his body, and the amount that did dripped off and sizzled into nothingness. He also wasn't entirely there. His bones were cracked and some of his ribcage was cracked into chunks. One arm was missing entirely . He lay limply on the floor, crawling towards Ala'aldeen.

The wraith reached out to Ala'aldeen, his fingers tried to claw into his mind. Ala'aldeen swatted them away with a burst of magic. Nocturne was trying to regain his strength by siphoning the prophet's fear. "I need to regain power… I sense your fear."

Ala'aldeen stood up from his chair and smiled. Sometimes fate hands you exactly what you want on a silver platter. He could kill two birds with one stone once he noticed how weak Nocturne was. No doubt from a run in with the Star Guardians. "You will find none here." Ala'aldeen pinned the wraith to the ground with a strong binding spell. He reread a passage in Mejai's tome, making sure he understood the spell correctly.

He reached out with his hand, grasping at the magic surrounding Nocturne. Nocturne writhed in pain as he felt his entire being pulled apart. A trail of green fire arced between Nocturne and Ala'aldeen's hand. It streamed steadily from the wraith's body, Nocturne's flailing did nothing to impede Ala'aldeen's spell. A large amount of fire gathered in Nocturne's chest, it buzzed between the remaining ribs before breaking out. Ala'aldeen caught it in his hand. For a moment the fire just danced there, hovering above his palm. It then condensed into a blue crystal the size of a baseball. Ala'aldeen studied the crystal. From what he saw it was crudely cut, had many fractures across its surface and barely shined when put under the light. That made Ala'aldeen laugh. The hunter of souls had a weak soul of his own.

He tossed the soul from hand to hand. That's when he noticed Janna's guardian spirit flying around outside. It was circling the block looking for Nocturne. Well it would find no trace of what was left. Ala'aldeen stood up and walked over to his windows, stepping onto the black bones Nocturne left. They crumbled to ash under his foot. He drew the curtains closed and went back to his desk. He muttered some words under his breath and placed the crystal onto a blank page of the book. It glowed and absorbed the crystal. On the page a detailed drawing of a man appeared. Ala'aldeen guessed that's what Nocturne looked like before he became a wraith. Some words also appeared, they hardly interested Ala'aldeen. He flicked through the blank pages, "One down…"

* * *

The weekend passed quickly and the following morning Lux found herself walking with Janna to school. Most of Janna's wounds have healed since then, thanks to the magic she controlled. Janna held up a hand to quiet Lux down.

"It is fine, Lux. You don't have to keep apologizing." Janna gave her a reassuring smile. It only made Lux force her eyes down to the ground.

"B-but you almost died. If I was there you wouldn't have gotten so hurt." Lux said. She fiddled with the hem of her skirt anxiously. Zephyr had informed them that no trace of Nocturne was left, so they won't have to worry about an unexpected return. That didn't really smooth out Lux's guilt.

"We cannot always be by each other's side no matter how much we want to be. Sometimes we will have to fight by ourselves. Besides I wasn't really alone, Poppy was there with me." Janna placed a firm hand on Lux's shoulder. "And I can't blame you because you were held up by friends. Remember I was a guardian before you. Those friendships outside guardianship are important to keep. You cannot let this life consume you." Janna had wished she had known the lessons she passed onto Lux when she was a guardian. The memory Nocturne had unsurfaced nagged at the back of Janna's mind.

Lux sighed. "I still feel bad for letting you down…"

They reached the school's gate. The early risers scattered around the courtyard. Poppy called out to the two and ran right over. She had been excited since she discovered her classmates were the famous Star Guardians. She was still trying to accept that she was one too. Janna assured Poppy her courage and strength was what called the First Star to her and that it was well deserved. "Lux! Janna!" Poppy said.

"Morning Poppy." Lux said back. "How are you?"

"Really good! I'm still kinda, uh, tingly all over." Poppy wiggled her fingers for a bit of emphasis. "Was that how you felt when you first transformed?"

"Uh, sorta. We shouldn't really talk about this in public, remember we have to keep our identities as Star Guardians a secret." Lux glanced around to make sure no one had overheard. The last thing she wanted was for the Star Guardian rumors to start up again. She hadn't heard anything from Ahri personally, but a quick look on tumblr told Lux she was still running that Star Guardian blog of hers.

The three girls crossed the courtyard and headed inside the school. When they reached the stairs Janna said she'll see them during lunch and went to the upper floors while Poppy went to find her friend Lulu. Lux nodded to the both of them and headed straight to her classroom. Inside Lux saw Ezreal talking to Jayce, they met eyes and Ezreal waved over to her. Lux stepped up to them and bowed.

"Hey guys… Sorry I left in such a hurry friday night." She had to ditch early that night and had yet find a way to make it up to them.

"Hey it's cool, something came up. No worries." Ezreal said, waving away any concern she had about upsetting them. "Though you might want to say something to Quinn. Apparently when she talked to Shyvana about it Garen had overheard and started to go crazy."

"Ugh. Don't remind me. I got ten different calls from him that night. Some not even from his phone. Once I got back to my dorm house he was waiting at the front door for me." Lux sighed and sat down next to Ezreal in an empty seat. "Spent the rest of the weekend under his watchful eye."

"Eh, that's what's older brothers are for. They have a built in gene to look after their younger sister. So what happened anyways?" Jayce asked.

"Oh uh…" Lux bit her lip as she looked from Jayce to Ezreal. Dang it, she forgot to come up with a convincing cover story to tell. She decided to change the subject. "Doesn't really matter, it was a false alarm… Hey Ezreal, do you still have that Poro you won me?"

Ezreal brightened up and a bit of red colored his cheeks. "Yeah! I actually, uh, brought it to school. I was going to put it in your locker for you to find but uh... "

"Ez chickened out when a bunch of girls started to giggle and tease him for it." Jayce finished for Ezreal. The blonde boy glared at his friend, which he promptly ignored. Hey if Ezreal can tell funny stories about Jayce, it's fair game for him to tell the stories about Ezreal.

"N-no, I just didn't want Lux to take it the wrong way."

Lux giggled at Ezreal. His fluster grew when Jayce continued to tease him. She thought it was sweet of him. She'll have to remind him to give it back to her after school, she would love to keep it to remind her of her first time at an arcade. Technically it was also his first gift to her.

* * *

Janna walked down the hallway, her mind still lingered on the thoughts Nocturne had brought up. She remembered very little from her time as Star Guardian, she had willingly blocked off most memories behind a mental wall. Most memories Nocturne had resurfaced were the hardest ones to face, lost allies, fights against Malzahar. The prophet made it known he would not hesitate to end their lives. All except hers and that worried her. He had some kind of sick obsession with her. For the life of her, she can't remember why.

What confused her the most was that Ala'aldeen was also within her locked away memories. The last memory Nocturne dredged up played in her mind once again. She didn't know why she would lock up that part of her life.

Janna walked over to her classroom's door and paused. If she wanted answers she would have to seek them. Turning on her heel she strode past her classroom and headed two doors down to class 3-C. She slid the door open and spotted a familiar teen. He had his head looming over a book, he brushed a lock of his brown hair out of his eyes and pushed his glasses up. Janna walked to him, stopping right in front of him. When he didn't notice she tapped the corner of his desk.

Ala'aldeen looked up and saw the tall blonde. "Janna." he said a little surprised.

"Can we talk? She asked.

"Sure of course." He stood up from his seat and tucked in the chair. It was still half an hour till first bell so they had plenty of time.

Janna led him down the hallway, there were plenty of students crowding around waiting for class to start. She continued on, passed the other classes and up the stairs. Whatever she wanted to talk about, she wanted to do so privately. She led him to the Lit Club's room, she knew no one would be inside. She slid the door open and let him in. When she stepped inside she closed the door. She held the it closed behind her, her eyes were looking down at her feet.

This was the first time Ala'aldeen saw Janna look so… vulnerable. And not from one of his attacks as Malzahar. This vulnerability was from something else. His heart started to race in his chest as he saw her take a step forward.

"...Ala'aldeen…" Janna didn't know where to start really. She pushed on anyways. "I remember very little from last year. Some… personal drama made that time very hard on me." Janna paused, grasping for the right words. "But two nights ago I just remembered something very important…"

Ala'aldeen felt his breath tighten around his heart.

"Before… We were close… weren't we? Close enough to be..." Janna trailed off and then looked up to see Ala'aldeen staring back at her. The emotions she was building up over the weekend were finally boiling over. "I'm sorry I forgotten. I-I can't remember the time when we were together o-or what had drove us apart, but I remember it was my fault… I-"

Ala'aldeen closed the gap between them and hugged her. His sudden embrace surprised both of them. He didn't know what had caused Janna to come to him like this. He realised her run in with Nocturne was part of the reason. Still, she was talking to him again. She doesn't remember everything… and that was fine by him. She remembered what matter and he could use that. Ala'aldeen won't lose her twice. "It's okay, Janna" He whispered to her. "I have long since forgiven you. It was not your fault back then. Know that I'll always be here for you."

Janna hesitated and then returned the hug. Her arms wrapped around his chest tightly as she pulled him in closely.

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap! I decided to use part of Poppy's old game lore cause I really liked the story potential it had. So I sorta combined both her new and old lore for my story. With that Poppy has officially joined the team. Up next is our favorite little fae sorceress. Let me know what you all think.

Well, see you all soon. Love you, bye.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own League of Legends

...yet, *rubs hands evilishly*

A/N: I have nothing much to say this time around, other than some more pleasantries. Hope everyone is enjoying what I'm putting out, I have a lot of fun writing this thing, and I hope that shows in my writing.

Got another questions from valguienmas1 - I currently don't have a plan for Aurelion Sol to show up. I already have an end goal in mind for this story so I don't want to throw him in without putting enough thought into it beforehand. Then again, who knows. Creativity can work in mysterious ways, and Plot Holes I accidentally forget to fill might become Plot Hooks instead. No promises.

Who knows, even after all said is done I might continue on with shorter arcs, or just one-shots. Cause I'm really really enjoying these magical adventures.

Anyways I rambled on long enough. Now on with the show~!

* * *

Poppy swung her hammer down cracking the ground beneath its heavy weight. She paused waiting for the eruption of light. After a long second nothing happened. Frustrated Poppy growled and slammed her hammer down again. "C'mon work!" She yelled. This was the tenth time she had tried and failed to tap into her magical power to form the attacks that had saved Janna from Nocturne. She had transforming down pat, using her other new abilities have proven to be more difficult. "I don't understand. I whooped that boney ghost's butt when I first transformed."

Lux hopped of the junk car she was sitting on. They were inside Piltover Customs' junkyard. The old car shop had a large empty lot with high stacks of wrecked cars. They were perfect to use as cover. Poppy had suggested to use it as their training ground. No one ever watched the lot. Too much of the junk was too old and rusted to be of any use. Corki, the owner of the lot, didn't even care if there were any trespassers. He figured if someone else can find use of his junk then they can go ahead and take it. The old yordle kept to the main garage working continuously on his custom ride, and so was no bother to the Star Guardians. Lux walked over to Poppy and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It takes time. When I first awoke to my powers I didn't even know what I was capable of."

"You were in a state of emotional stress." Janna said, approaching the two. "When you came into your magic you experienced a spike in your power. Afterwards that power dipped back down. It will still be a while before it all levels out to where it is suppose to be."

Poppy sighed. "Okay, so I just gotta keep hammering away at it then…" She chuckled at her own pun. "Ha, get it?" She waved her hammer a little bit.

Janna stifled a laugh. Lux chuckled too as she rolled her eyes. A pop song rung into the junkyard and instantly grabbed Lux's attention. Quickly she ran over to her bag and pulled out her phone. She had the volume turned up extra loud so she could hear it even while they trained. Swiping the screen Lux read the caller's name and answered. "Ez, hey!" She looked over to the others. They had an amused looks on their faces. Lux ignored them and turned back around. "Yeah, I'll be there… No, it's fine. I'm already in Piltover… yup… cya soon. Bye." Lux hung up and turned around to see Poppy looking really smug as she leaned on her hammer.

"Off to another date?" Poppy said casually. Well as casual as her smug teasing can be.

Lux flushed bright red. "It's not a date. W-we're just going to go shopping, maybe grab lunch. Caitlyn and Vi are coming, and so is Jayce. It's going to be group thing." She checked the time, then stuffed her phone back into her bag. She still had time to spare, if she flew she would get there within a minute. "Come on, we still got a lot of practice to do. Malzahar has been eerily quiet, so we have to assume he hasn't been wasting his time."

"Right." Poppy nodded. She lifted up her hammer ready to give her spell casting another try. It was amazing to see how easily Poppy swung that hammer around. The thing was three times her height and a hundred times her weight and yet the yordle didn't even seem bothered by it.

* * *

Lulu skipped down the street, her favorite red dress bouncing with each step as she waved to everyone who passed by. Bandle City was very homey, most of Valoran's yordle population lived here. And nothing was more homey than a yordle's abode. Every building looked squat and rustic even when it was so close to the massive skyscrapers that made the Valoran skyline. There was something to say about the city when almost every shop was homemade and never part of a chain. Lulu greatly enjoyed the mom and pop shops that lined the street. The owners were always affable and enjoyed the company of their customers, unlike other soulless retail stores. Poppy said she would be busy today so that left Lulu to do as she pleased. Well she always did as she pleased. No one could dissuade the purple haired yordle from what she sets her mind to. And her mind was set on visiting her friend Veigar. At least she considered him a friend, she wasn't so sure what he thought of her. He was so grumpy all the time that Lulu almost thought he disliked her company. But he kept all the plants she had given him which said something about their friendship.

Turning a corner Lulu found the book shop Veigar had told her about. Actually he had told her he was not going to be there and so she shouldn't try to look for him. Which was silly considering the other times he tried to use reverse psychology on her had failed miserably. The steps on the stoop looked like book covers, and the windows were lined with this month's best sellers. Lulu admired the quaint building then bounded up each step with a hop and swung open the door. The bell attached to the door rung, grabbing the attention of the store owner. He waved to Lulu before returning to his work. Shelves lined the large room like a maze. It almost looked like there was no regard to organization except for the tiny signs that hung in each aisle. Lulu scanned them, reading each section's label looking for a specific genre. _Let's see, Horror, Thriller, Suspense, no no no. Ah!_ Lulu ran up to the shelf labeled 'Occult' and peeked around the corner.

Veigar was seated on the floor, a dark hoodie tight around him despite the warm weather and his always present blue baseball cap pulled low to hide his face. Lulu knew why he always hid his face, a nasty run in with some bullies left a scar that ran across his forehead and between his eyes. He hated it and tried to hide it at all times, even his black fur refused to regrow properly on the damage skin. Next to him was a short stack of books he was pouring through one after the other. 'Practical magic for Dummies', 'Demonology and You', 'Common Witchcraft Mistakes'. _Strange titles_ Lulu thought. She waved at Veigar, about to call out to him.

He held up his hand to stop her from yelling his name, and pointed to the sign above his head. It told all customers to be considerate of each other and keep noise to a minimum. Lulu rolled her eyes and went right up to him. "Hiya" She said in her sing songy voice, making sure to keep her voice low enough so not to bother anyone else. She leaned over his shoulder and peered at the book he was reading. "What chu-"

A hand cover her mouth as Veigar pushed her away. "Lulu…" He said slowly. "I thought I told you I wouldn't be here."

"Which meant you would obviously be here, silly."

"It MEANT, 'Leave me alone'. Can't you see I'm busy?" He hissed. He went back to reading his book.

She leaned onto him, "But I came all this way~." She added a little pout to her lips and a trill to her voice. She could feel the heat rise in his face and the black fur on his neck prick up. Veigar always tried to push her away but she knew how to get under his skin.

"F-fine." He conceded. "You may keep me company. IF and only if you stay quiet."

"Yay." She gave him a hug and bounded off to find her own book to keep herself occupied. Veigar dove into every book he grabbed with such vigor that sometimes he forgets to eat. Lulu knew she would have to remind him when lunchtime rolls by.

She was looking in the fantasy and adventure aisle when a pair of hushed whispers caught her ear. Stealthily she crept over to the voices, her curiosity too much for her to ignore. Through the bookshelf she could see two middle aged yordles talking, their backs to her.

"No I don't think it's anything serious." One said with a skeptical voice.

"But he never acted that way before." The other had a motherly voice. "You can't develope, uh what is it… depression in a single night can you?"

"College might just be frightening him. It's about that time where he finally realizes you won't be there to baby him anymore."

"No, no. I think it's whatever is spreading through the city. Depression is becoming contagious."

The skeptic rolled their eyes, "That's impossible." The two walked out of the aisle as soon as one found the book they were looking for. They continued to talk until their voice fell out of earshot.

Lulu stood there for a moment in thought. Lately there have been a lot of cases of people becoming almost zombie like on the news. People were depressed or completely apathetic to everything around them. Almost to the point where they won't be responsive at all. Something deep in her gut told her this was really important, she just couldn't put her finger on why. She held Pix, the plushie she kept on her everywhere she went, up to her face. She shared a silent conversation with the stuffed creature. She spoke with Pix all the time when she was younger and lately she had picked up the habit again. He had become much more of a conversationalist since she was a little girl. Lulu swore she sometimes heard an actual voice coming from him. "As soon as you figure out how to find them, I'll tell them"

Lulu went back to Veigar, a book about a boy traveling to a magical world tucked between her and Pix. She liked the idea of magical worlds. They were always so much more interesting than the boring world she lived in. The only thing interesting about her world was the Star Guardian. So far Lulu hasn't seen any of the stuff others had claimed to have seen. Even that day when Ahri supposedly chased after the Star Guardian in the school's courtyard, Lulu only saw Ahri by herself throwing a fit. Completely missing the guardian's appearance. She half expected it to be a prank everyone was in on except for her. If it was a prank it wasn't a very good one.

Lulu plopped down next to Veigar and leaned against him. He grumbled in response but said nothing else. He knew he wouldn't be able to get rid of Lulu easily. At least she was quiet like she promised… "Hey Veigar." Welp there goes that. Peace and quiet couldn't only last so long. He didn't say anything, so she continued on. "Can depression be contagious?"

The question made Veigar pause. It was very different from her usual questions. Usually about what kind of flowers does he like and would they make a decent tea to go with his cupcake. Trivial things. He closed his book and looked at Lulu. Her book wasn't even open, she was staring intently at her plushie and was deep in thought. "Don't be stupid, of course not. Depression isn't some imbalance in brain chemicals like other illnesses. It can be caused by many different things, mainly outside influences like stress or a traumatic experience. None of which are contagious." And he should know. For a brief moment he took her very seriously.

She moved over so she could lay on his lap. Her eyes looked up to his, his hat doing nothing to obscure his features from this angle. He looked contemplative then annoyed as he notice her staring up at him. He pulled his hat lower on his face and fidgeted with his hoodie's sleeves, but made no move to push her off. "What about magic?" She asked.

His eyebrow raised at that. He sighed as he slipped a book out from his pile, 'The Morellonomicon'. Reading through the pages quietly, Veigar searched for a passage he had read earlier. "Mmm… blah blah blah. Ah." He turned the book around. On the page was a version of the vitruvian man. Except on this diagram there were various points drawn on the man's body, each had a label describing its use for magic. Veigar pointed to the man's chest. "Read." He told Lulu.

Lulu's eyes scanned the paragraph Veigar pointed to. "A living being's soul is a collection of hopes and desires that fuel a person's life force. Stripped away only a husk of a person is left." Lulu read aloud. She thought for a second then looked down to Pix. His button eyes conveying a whole conversation behind the plastic. "It doesn't say it's contagious."

"No it doesn't. It does imply that magic can cause depression, if careful soul manipulation is done. Now get off me you naive fool." Veigar kicked his feet and Lulu hopped up off him. He gathered his books and made his way to the counter. Lulu followed close behind, slipping the book she had taken back in its correct spot. The owner smiled at Veigar, he was surprised a young yordle was reading such books. He told him some of those were actually extremely rare and to take good care of them. Others were old too, if he needed to rebind the pages the owner does cheap book repairs. Veigar nodded his head over and over again until the man stopped talking. He wanted to get on with his day and he couldn't do so if the owner wouldn't just shut up and take his money.

Once the books were paid for Lulu waved goodbye to the owner and followed after Veigar. He sped up, trying to lose Lulu in the crowd. "Hey wait up!" She called after him. He didn't slow down.

* * *

Lux flew low through the city, using the rooftops as cover. She made sure to never draw too much attention when she flew. If she wasn't careful than a crowd could form wherever she wanted to land. Lux found a secluded alley way tucked behind a convenience store and landed. Her eyes went from one end of the alleyway, which let out into a section meant for garbage trucks, to the other, which was a turned a corner before letting out to the streets. Satisfied that the coast was clear, Lux transformed back into her normal clothes. Consciously she smoothed out any wrinkles in her rose skirt and readjust her white blouse, half wishing she had a large mirror on her to give herself a quick once over. She wanted to look her best when she met up with the others.

With a calming breath Lux decided she was most likely fine the way she looked and started to walk towards the alley's exit. The one that lead back to the streets. If she was correct she would only be half a minute away from Piltover's Downtown. Fresh paint and aerosol filled the air as she walked down the alley. It was so strong she had to cover her nose, when she got to the end she saw why. In giant neon letters 'Jinx' was tagged on the wall. The letters were so large Lux was actually impressed her classmate had painted it. Still, Lux wasn't keen on vandalism and shook her head at Jinx's rebellious act. The paint was still wet so Jinx must have finished this pretty recently. Lux told the manager of the convenience store about the graffiti. If they were quick enough then they can wash the paint off easily.

When Lux walked away she saw one of the workers had come out with a bucket of water. They started to clean the graffiti, in wide swaths the bare brick underneath showed again. Lux smiled and started to walk down the street. The building fell out of sight as Lux found her way to downtown proper. That's when a hand came up from behind her and flung her skirt up. Surprised Lux yelped and rounded on who would dare assault her like that. Her eyes met a familiar pair of red eyes staring back at her.

Jinx was scowling, an unhappy expression directed right at Lux. "What's your damage?" She took a step forward, forcing Lux to look up at her. Lux disliked how Jinx was a full head height taller than her. Jinx had her hands on her hips, waiting for a reply.

"What are you talking about?" Lux didn't get intimidated easily. She fought monsters in her spare time, she could handle her classmate.

Jinx rolled her eyes and a mischievous grin replaced her scowl. She dropped the intimidation act and wrapped an arm around Lux, getting right in her face as if they were buddies. "Don't play dumb, it doesn't suit you." Her voice was playful if a little threatening. "But hey, I'm a nice gal and since we're classmates I'll let you off with a warning. If you do anything to mess with my art again, it will get ugly. Got it?" Jinx patted Lux on the shoulder and left with a wide smile.

Lux scoffed and let the blue haired delinquent go. She had to meet up with Ezreal and his friends soon. She won't let one unfortunate run in get under her skin. She walked into the downtown plaza and searched for her friends. Every weekend it seemed the plaza was packed. There was enough people wandering the streets it made walking through them annoying. Some not so subtly stared at Lux. It made her a bit self conscious, quickening her pace. Luckily Lux didn't have to walk too far. Her friends were seated outside a milk tea cafe talking to each other excitedly. Lux called out to Ezreal who perked up when he saw Lux. He waved and held out a cup to her.

"Hey Lux, I bought one for you. I didn't know what flavor you wanted so I just got the same as mine. It's honeydew, it's super sweet so you should like it." Ezreal said.

Lux took it happily. "Thanks Ez." Taking the straw he offered with the drink and punched it through the top.

"No prob… hey, so what were you doing before you got here? You got like paint all over your back." Ezreal took a sip of his tea and gestured to Lux's shoulders. Right where Jinx patted her.

"...What?" Lux put her tea down forcefully and rushed over to the cafe's large windows. They were really glossy, Lux's reflection stared right back at her. Right across her shoulders was bright neon paint. A mixture of purple and green colors stained her favorite blouse like puke… wait if it was on her shirt than… Lux turned more and saw a clear as day hand print smack dab center on her butt. Heat flooded her cheeks in embarrassment. It stung all the way to the tips of her ears. She had been walking through the whole plaza like this. That was why people were giving her weird looks when she walked by. She returned to her friends who had saw the surprise then the embarrassment in her eyes. She took a seat next to Ezreal and her face fell into her hands. A long groan slipped through her lips.

Ezreal looked at Lux than to his friends for help. Caitlyn was the first to act. "Vi your jacket please." Vi shrugged her jacket off without missing a beat. Caitlyn took it and draped it over Lux's back. Vi was a tall girl, the jacket could easily cover both paint stains. Lux looked like a child in it. "What happened, Lux?"

Lux composed herself and told them about her run in with Jinx. The story made Vi's eye twitch with irritation. "That little punk." Vi said and smacked her fist into her open hand. "She's always trying to pull shit like that." Caitlyn calmed Vi down, who resorted to just grumbling and crossed her arms.

Caitlyn turned to Lux and grabbed her hand. "Let's not let it ruin your whole day. You can keep Vi's jacket on for now. Use it to cover up those stains. We'll go shopping right away and get you something to replace your ruined clothes." Maybe it was Caitlyn's accent or maybe it was how composed she always was, either way Lux calmed down enough to give them a smile. Caitlyn smiled and lead her out of her seat. "Ezreal, Jayce, we'll meet up after we're done."

Ezreal and Jayce nodded, not upset at all with being left behind. Ezreal was glad Caitlyn was around, she can handle these kinds of situations so easily. Plus when it came to clothes Lux would want the opinion of someone with actual style. Something he lacked, try as he might. He can meet up with Lux afterwards. Jayce nudged Ezreal in the side, they had their own idea on where to go to keep busy. Jayce wanted to check out the model shop, there was a mecha anime that just got rebooted and he wanted to know if new models were made to coincide with the release. With a small wave Ezreal left with Jayce, the two of them joined the rustling crowd.

Caitlyn tilted her head, telling Lux to follow her and Vi. As they walked Caitlyn linked her arms with Vi. They had been a couple for more than a year now and were more than comfortable with their relationship. Lux blushed at how comfortable that was as Vi's arm unlinked and wrapped around Caitlyn's waist pulling her really close. Lux yelped as Vi's other arm hooked around her own waist and pulled her in, it made Lux's face burn. The noise made Vi laugh, "Aw she's adorable." Vi's tone made it sound like she was mocking Lux but she knew better. Vi was just brash by nature so it colored everything she said. "Hey Cupcake, do you think Ez would mind if we keep her?" Vi laughed again when Lux's blush deepened. They turned into a large building, one that held many stores throughout its floors.

* * *

Poppy landed hard into the ground, stumbling from her jump atop of the chain link fence. The thing was almost ten feet high and for a yordle that was pretty damn tall. She wiped her hands on her jeans, brushing off the bits of rust that clung to her hands. Poppy and Janna had transformed back into their normal clothes before jumping the fence out of the junkyard, the high stakes of wrecked cars made for perfect cover. Janna jumped the fence with ease. It surprised the yordle, she half expected her upperclassmen to just fly right over. The act of climbing without magical assistance let the air of superiority that surrounded her to drop away. Janna was kind enough to accompany Poppy back to the dorms. Poppy hadn't learned to fly yet. She was still working on her basic skills and so something advanced like flying was put on the back burner. Poppy guessed she wouldn't be good at flying anyways, she too 'grounded' for that. If nothing else the armor she transformed into would only weigh her down.

The two of them walked in relative silence. They were still somewhat strangers to one another. Sure they trained together and would fight for each other in a heartbeat, but what did Poppy really know about Janna. Or Lux for that matter. She rarely hang out with them when it didn't involve star guardian business. She should change that.

"Hey wanna get lunch?" Poppy asked and looked up to Janna. She looked lost in thought and hadn't heard the yordle. "Janna, you in there?"

"Hmm? Sorry." Janna said. Looked down at Poppy, giving her fellow guardian her full attention now. "My mind was somewhere else."

"I wanted to know if you want to get lunch."

Janna paused for a long second. "Um, sure. We can grab something here."

Poppy waved away that idea right off the bat. "You gotta be joking, Piltover is way too expensive." It was true too. Piltover wanted to be the technology center of the Valoran metropolis, and to sell the idea that they were the ideal city they had gentrified much of their area. It drove up the prices for pretty much everything. "If ya don't mind, let's eat down in Bandle City. I know a great place, and it's built to accommodate humans too!"

Janna pulled her phone out and looked at the time. "Maybe… I have to meet a friend soon. If it doesn't take long I see no problem."

Poppy huffed. "Don't tell me you have a date too?"

Janna laughed at that. "No, no. It's more of catching up with someone I haven't seen in awhile."

"If you say so." Poppy reached up and rested her hands behind her head. "I only asked cause it seems like almost everyone I know has a boyfriend or girlfriend." Poppy chuckled remembering Lux's flustered face. Was the girl really too timid to take that extra step?

"It's something like that. We used to date before…" Janna said. Poppy raised an eyebrow. Not saying anything else to let Janna continue. "We left on a bad note, and I regret that." Janna didn't want to tell Poppy how it was only recently she had remember that fact. She had to talk to Ala'aldeen about what they had, old memories and feelings have been reemerging ever since Nocturne raided her mind. There were plenty of gaps in her past she wanted to keep forgotten, the time she spent with Ala'aldeen was not one of them. "We've started talking again. Small talks between classes to reconcile a friendship."

"Is that all he wants?" Poppy asked cautiously.

Janna bit her lip. She needed to talk to Ala'aldeen not only to rebuild a friendship she destroyed but to understand why she did so in the first place. "...I don't know if that is all I want."

* * *

Ala'aldeen walked the streets of Bandle City. He mostly wandered with no real destination in mind, he was currently in one of city's many parks. He was on the lookout for strong souls. Nocturne was too much of a reliability for him to use, so he had resorted to doing the dirty work himself. It proved to be more difficult than anticipated, his try at using magically assisted sight to peer at people's souls had drained him of his magic. And that was at a limited range too, not at all the wide city scan he thought was possible. If he wanted to use the spell he could only use it in short bursts. Not useful if he wanted to go on long active searches throughout the cities. Instead he decided to use 'brute force'. Anyone he thought was overtly happy or in good spirits he stalked and drained them of their soul. Crude as it was effective. He made sure never to kill anyone outright, that would attract too much attention for his liking. Better let the media take their spin of it as a spreading sickness than to let a number bodies to show up.

Someone caught his attention, a young yordle with vibrant purple hair. She was walking hurriedly through the crowd, practically skipping. Her head swiveled about in search for something. Ala'aldeen moved to a nearby bench so he can watch her. She seemed to be the perfect candidate for a strong soul. Her smile was big and stretched from ear to ear, she carried herself happily as if she walked on air, and there was a large spark of life behind her eyes. Suddenly her gaze locked onto a person in the crowd. Her smile grew wider, if that was possible, as she came closer to whoever she saw. Ala'aldeen craned his neck to look through the throngs of people. He frowned when he noticed Veigar sitting down next to a fountain. The black furred yordle sighed and let the yordle girl sit next to him.

If Veigar was talking to her then that must mean the yordle was Lulu. Ala'aldeen had avoided people from school, that would surely get the guardians' attention if people at school started to act abnormal. He wasn't ready to face them again, not yet. He still needed a few more souls. He never really noticed Lulu at school before, he was two years ahead of her, but he had heard all about her. At least all about her from Veigar's point of view. So she must be the nuisance he got those plants from. Funny how he always complained about her but also took diligent care of her gifts. Truthfully Ala'aldeen wanted to be rid of them, their spot on the window sill meant the black cardstock taped to the window had to be cut to let light in. It made the Occult room brighter than it was suppose to be. He liked the room to be as dark as possible, it made for great privacy if he needed to contact or commute to the Void.

Ala'aldeen was about to move on when he felt a pulse of magic. It was unmistakable, if very feint. _Strange_ , he thought. This world was practically barren of any kind of magic. Yet there was a distinctive pulse coming from… Lulu. No, not Lulu, something on her. Under his breath Ala'aldeen muttered the spell to give him magical sight. The color of the world fell away before him, leaving nothing but a wash of greys. Everyone around him was now only a rough silhouette with a burning flame in their center to represent a soul. Sure enough Lulu's soul shone bright like a second sun, enough to make the prophet wince. Veigar's soul also shone brightly, albeit not nearly as bright as Lulu's. That earned a chuckled from Ala'aldeen. Veigar didn't seem to be happy on any given day, he must have some powerful desires welling up inside him for his soul to shine like that. Pushing both souls aside, Ala'aldeen focused harder… There in Lulu's arms. It was a small amount of power. It was the plushie. He had to get his hands on it and see it for himself. If anything, maybe just to satisfy his curiosity.

Lulu smiled at Veigar, "Found you." She plopped down next to him and kicked her feet up and down. Veigar had tried to lose Lulu by rushing through the crowd. He sat down so he could catch his breath without realizing how close she really was.

"Yes… I can't seem to ever be rid of you." Veigar mumbled. He scooted over so he can have some elbow room.

Lulu giggled, "You know you enjoy my company. We wouldn't be good friends if you didn't." She scooted closer to him, closing the gap he made between them.

"Pff, we are not friends. I am more like a victim to your incessant clinginess." Veigar crossed his arms, giving up trying to scoot away. "If it weren't for the fact you had others to bug, I would think you are a stalker."

Lulu pouted and leaned into him so her face came too close to his. "Don't say such mean things. Of course we are friends." In the back of Veigar's mind he noticed that Lulu didn't exactly deny being a stalker.

"Don't make me get a restraining order." Came Veigar's shallow threat. He was trying not to look her in the eye. Whenever she got close like this she did something to him. Something that always made him freeze up. Her eyes were averted though, looking off into the crowd. She looked confused, her eyebrows narrowed and her gaze kept shifting from person to person. Veigar was put off that he didn't receive her full attention like usual. Following her gaze, he looked into the crowd. When he couldn't see what she saw, he tried to get her attention again.

Veigar's words went in one ear and out the other. Lulu couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. She continued to look through the crowd, ignoring how fidgety Veigar was becoming. Try as she might her eyes couldn't see anyone out of the ordinary. As soon as the feeling came it was gone, leaving only a weird lingering nag in Lulu's gut. Veigar pinched her cheek. Lulu snapped out of her daze and rubbed the sore spot.

Veigar had a smirk on his face. "That's for ignoring me." He pushed her shoulders so he can slip out from under her, and readjust his seat. "You get lost in your empty head too easily."

"I-I thought someone was staring at us." Lulu said quietly. Her ears drooping a little.

"With how overly affectionate you can be I wouldn't put it passed them." Veigar brushed his shirt as if he was cleaning Lulu's presence off his person. "Must I remind you again what personal space is?"

"No I mean- It was more like-" Lulu started and stopped before huffing. "I felt it in here," She patted her stomach. "and Pix felt it too. Someone wasn't just staring at us, but like INTO us. It was really- it was just wrong feeling."

Veigar saw how violated Lulu felt. He looked around the park again, trying to see if anyone stood out. Nothing he could see screamed dangerous. Still he decided to do the next best thing and get Lulu away from the park. He grabbed her arm and lead her down the path. Veigar may style himself as a loner and insulted the intelligence of those around him, but he knew how it felt like to be targeted for unwanted attention. Not like Lulu's attention which was wholly good natured, but the kind of attention that left scars. Emotional or Physical. The hair on Lulu's neck stood on end even as they walked away. She grabbed onto Veigar's arm and pulled him close like a safety blanket, and for once he didn't grumble or pull away.

Ala'aldeen watched them go from farther down the path. The prophet was surprised by how perceptive Lulu was and also by the tiny plushie in her lap. There was the tiniest spark of life in the stuffed toy, it was so small and hidden that he almost missed it the first time. He had read a myth that said some toys or other inanimate objects can become spirits if they are loved and used long enough. Most mythology he read from this world he took with a grain of salt. Yet, there it was. A small sliver of truth. He made a mental note to keep an eye out for Lulu's plushie. He really did need to get his hands on it, he might have found some native magic in this world. Lulu's and Veigar's souls were also very strong and tempting. There was some risk to targeting them. They went to the same school as him and the guardians. Veigar was even in the same club as him. The power they held might be worth it. No need to rush a decision, he had the rest of the day before he could find them again by tonight. And he had to meet up with Janna, he didn't want to keep her waiting. Ala'aldeen strode out of the park and to the nearest train station.

* * *

Lux came out of the changing room and stood in front of Caitlyn and Vi. She did a small spin and waited for a reply.

"No." Came Vi's quick response. She had said that too everything Lux had chosen. "What happened to the stuff I picked out? It should fit." While Lux appreciated that Vi was helping, she was imposing too much of her opinion on what Lux should be wearing. Vi style worked for her, not so much for Lux.

Caitlyn on the other hand looked at her with a careful eye. She picked up a thick belt from the many discarded ones and handed it to Lux. "This one would be a better match for that dress. And also change the sweater to that yellow one we found." She said

Lux shook her head, "No, this one matches my hair more. Plus I like the color scheme better." She still took the belt from Caitlyn.

"In that case, use the the white jacket with the blue dress." Caitlyn said.

"Oh yeah! That one would be so much better." Quickly Lux rushed back into the changing room and started to change again. Caitlyn went back to the bench and sat down. She started to organize the discarded clothes, putting them back on the hooks so the employees would have an easier time putting them away. Vi nudged her, a knowing grin on her face.

"You think it matches Ez tastes?" Vi asked.

A smile appeared on Caitlyn. "I think so. Then again I'm going off the girls he likes from animes."

"It's pretty sad we have to use anime to gauge what he likes in the first place."

"To be fair, we could have talked to him about it more. Considering our orientation."

Vi flushed. "I am NOT gonna share what I find hot in a girl with Ez. It was hard enough trying to ask him about you."

Caitlyn laughed, remembering a red faced Ezreal trying to act as their inbetweener. Vi was uncharacteristically shy about asking Caitlyn out, and used Ezreal to relay not so subtle hints to their mutual friend. In the end it was Caitlyn who took the lead and asked Vi out first. Vi practically yelled out a stammered 'yes' as quickly as she could once she realized she had just been asked out on a date.

Lux came out wearing the blue dress and white jacket Caitlyn suggested and went straight to the display mirror. She gave herself a once over, pleased with how she looked. "Perfect." She said after she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "What do you girls think?" Lux turned to the others.

"You look really cute." Caitlyn said.

"It's a pass" Vi said. It fit Ezreal's tastes alright. But Vi was still upset she didn't go for the frayed jeans she picked out. It would still have worked with the dress she wore.

"Great." Lux said as she clapped her hands. "Let's go pay so we can meet up with the guys." She went back to the changing room and picked up her stained clothes. The excitement in her voice was clear as day to Caitlyn and Vi. They shared a knowing look and made their way to the counter.

…

Vi settled for only having Caitlyn wrapped around her arm, Lux had politely declined. The girls found the guys pretty quickly. They were inside a store selling anime merchandise. There was even a girl in cosplay attracting would be customers. She waved to the girls and even complimented them on their looks. Even if it was only meant to get them in the store, Lux thanked her. Stepping inside Lux looked around. She was kinda surprised by everything. Manga filled one side of the store all the way to the ceiling while the other side was packed with figures and other knick knacks. She could appreciate manga, there were even a few of them she followed for their stories. The figures though… Lux looked at one, it was of a girl with ridiculously large breasts and a skirt so short it hid nothing. There was another one where post-it notes hid the more mature bits. Why anyone would have that one on display for everyone to see was anyones guess. Vi smirked when she spotted the guys fighting over a collectable that was the last one in stock, she nudged Lux who turned to see them acting like children. Their backs were to them unaware of their friends.

"Told you girls they'd be here." Vi said. She walked up to the two otakus and grabbed the box they were fighting over in one swift motion. She looked at it, good thing it wasn't one of those risque figures, and tossed it to Lux. She caught it and noticed it was a figure of the Star Guardian. A not very accurate representation of the Star Guardian. Lux looked at the tiny figure's pink pigtails and sailor uniform. They got the top all wrong, there wasn't suppose to be sleeves, and the bow hung too low. Any lower and cleavage would be showing. Lux frowned when she noticed the size, was that really how people saw her?

Ezreal and Jayce spun on who would dare steal their figure, and then notice it was Vi. Any insult on the tip of their tongues died instantly. Insulting Vi would only lead to a painful black eye. Ezreal saw Lux holding the figure and stepped over to her.

Caitlyn elbowed Ezreal before he could start talking about the figure. She subtly tilted her head to Lux, her new light blue dress and white casual jacket accented her blonde hair nicely. Thankfully the message wasn't lost on Ezreal. His eyes took in her new look and his mouth hung slightly open. He cleared his throat to say something, then wished he got a better control over his tongue when all he said was. "Whoa..." To him she looked like the sunrise, and her smile warmed him just like one. "Y-you look amazing."

Lux blushed and handed the figure over to him. He took it but his eyes never left her's. "Thanks. Caitlyn was nice enough to help me pick it out."

"I helped too." Vi chimed in and was ignored by the two.

"Ha, well it really suits you." Ezreal said. "Then again I think you look cute in anything you wore." Ezreal wished he could stop saying everything that came to his mind. He was only embarrassing himself.

"Thanks." Lux said. She needed to change the subject or else she would die if they continued to talk about how she looked. Ezreal complimented her without batting an eye and the slack jaw way he looked at her made Lux turn red. "I didn't know they were making Star Guardian merchandise now."

"She's becoming really popular. They started making these just this week and already they're flying off the shelves." Ezreal said. His eyes moving down to the figure in his hands.

Jayce came over and grabbed the figure out of Ezreal's hand, a smile on his face. "It's because everyone thinks she's super cute. Did you know there's going to be an anime about her? Now I'm not holding any hope for it but the hype is still there."

 _Really an anime? What kind of story did they expect to write? They know nothing about me._ "Is it really okay to make stuff like this? I mean she's a real person after all." Lux said.

"I don't really know… It's kinda vague. The producers can't exactly ask for her permission." Ezreal scratched his head in thought. "I think they only care for the appeal she can draw in." Lux had to give him that. She was practically a celebrity to those in the city. Thanks to Ahri's blog her exploits started getting noticed more and more. That doesn't mean she likes it. "I'd probably end up watching it when I can't find anything worth watching."

"The story sounds super generic. Look right here." Jayce pointed to the words on the back of the box. "Momo Tenshi is an alien from another planet who has fallen down to earth after an interstellar war left her stranded. She uses her magical powers to fight for her new home."

"Wait she's an alien?" Ezreal asked, leaning into Jayce to look at the box himself. "She's suppose to be a magical girl though." The origin made up for the figure was fairly close. Lux did get her powers from a star afterall. And she was fighting an 'interstellar' war between the First Star and the Void. A war that spanned multiple worlds.

"Momo Tenshi?" Lux asked, she found herself more confused by the name. _Where did they pull that name from?_ It sounded like two words a writer pulled out of their brain at the last minute. Now she was feeling kind of disappointed how unappealing 'her' story sounded. Hey, she's part of the Lit Club, she can totally do better. Would Janna be okay with that?

"Okay enough nerd shit." Vi broke everyone's train of thought. "I'm getting hungry, and I want to beat the lunch rush." She stood there tapping her foot impatiently.

* * *

Poppy sat with Janna at a Starbucks. Janna sadly declined Poppy's invitation. So they had forgone heading down to Bandle City and decided to head back to central Valoran. To Poppy's dismay they weren't getting lunch there either. The two of them each ordered a small coffee and that was it. Poppy could tell there was still a lot on Janna's mind and decided to stick around, until whoever Janna was meeting showed up. Poppy wished Lux was here, Janna would probably open up with her around. Instead they sat in silence sipping coffee. Poppy was never really good with 'girl talk'.

"So what's your gameplan?" Poppy asked as she slid her half full cup back and forth between her hands. "Are you trying to win him back or maybe just see what's he been up to, what?"

"...Maybe." Janna said quietly. "I'm not sure to be honest. And I rather not talk about it. Not yet."

Poppy shrugged. Well she tried. Yes that single question was her genuinely trying. All she could do now was be here as moral support.

Janna's phone buzzed on the table. A new text. Poppy tried to read the name, only for Janna to scoop the phone up and hide it behind her hands. Her eyes jumped from word to word. She typed out a reply and set the phone back down on the table with the screen black. "He's almost here."

Poppy nodded and hopped off her chair. She would let them have their privacy. As far as they knew anyways. There was a Coldstone across the street she can hide in and watch from afar. She waved a goodbye and left. She rounded the corner and quickly doubled back the long way around. She entered the Coldstone and sat at the window. Poppy was in the perfect position. Janna could be seen just behind a plant box and if Poppy leaned one way she could see the seat across from Janna.

Janna didn't wait long. Which was good, she was afraid she was beginning to fidget. She ran her hands through her hair, gathering it up into a loose ponytail. As Ala'aldeen said in his text, he was only 10 mins away. She saw him walking up the street and smiled. He was casually dressed. A short sleeve button up half done and a plain shirt. His hair like always was unkempt and messy, it hung low and brushed his eyes. She was worried he might have mistaken her invitation for coffee as something else. Janna waved to him and he waved back, quickening his pace after he noticed her. He pulled out the chair across from her and sat down.

"You didn't wait long did you?" Ala'aldeen asked.

"Not at all." Janna said.

They fell easily into conversation. Like they had always known each other and in a way they did. Ala'aldeen forced himself to keep calm, taking a small break in their talk to order a latte. He couldn't rush this, repairing the bridge between them would take time. He also had to be careful not to let on how much he knew. From the way Janna referred to last year, she still didn't remember everything. He needed to keep it that way.

…

Janna stifled a chuckle from behind her coffee. "I remember that. There was a massive snowstorm, it almost locked all of us in the school for an entire night."

"And Syndra ran out into it because she thought Zed was stuck in the storage shed." Ala'aldeen joined her laughter.

A smile tugged at Janna's lips. "We- we hid in the Lit Club together didn't we?"

Ala'aldeen looked down at his own cup of coffee. "We did. You had that water boiler. We drank so much tea just to keep us warm…" He didn't want to say that same night she left him alone in the cold to fight a Void creature. The isolation burned more than the snow did.

The conversation slowed then. Janna could feel the mood take a dive. All of a sudden everything went from nostalgic to melancholy. She looked up to see Ala'aldeen's eyes were still down looking at his coffee. Slowly she reached out to his hand, only hesitating when something stung the back of her mind. She pushed past it, this was important to her. Gently she laid her hand onto his. The touch snapped him out of his reverie.

"...Why-" Janna closed her mouth, having trouble forcing the words out into the open. "Why did we- I break us up?"

A flag went up in Ala'aldeen's mind. He needed to steer the conversation away from the topic. Then he looked into her eyes. They were full of sadness, regret pooled up in them. Maybe, maybe this time would be different. He crushed that thought right away. No, he won't be so foolish. "I don't really know." He lied.

That was not the answer Janna was looking for, he was keeping something from her.

Poppy leaned in her chair, trying to keep Janna in her line of sight. She didn't understood what happened. Everything started off great, they were talking to each other and laughing. Then all of a sudden it looked like a bomb went off. How she wished she could read lips, it would make this a whole lot easier for the yordle. Instead she stared at them, trying to read their body language.

Janna leaned forward in her chair, her eyes were looking down at her hand. Ala'aldeen's hand still held her's tightly. "I'm trying to understand why we broke up."

"It doesn't matter now." Ala'aldeen tried to reassure Janna to no effect.

"Maybe to you." Janna said firmly. "I can't even remember the reason. I want you to be honest with me. Tell me, please."

"I-I." Words choked Ala'aldeen's throat.

Janna pulled her hand back and crossed her arms over her chest. She wanted to know so badly, and he wasn't being helpful at all. She moved up and out of her chair, the metal scraped noisily on the concrete.

"You left me because your friends were more important to you…They-they didn't like me. Didn't think I was good enough for you. Apparently you agreed." Ala'aldeen said suddenly. It was a half truth, molded to how he saw it. How could she tell? Ala'aldeen moved his hands under the table to hide the magic welling up between his fingers in anger. She thought being the Star Guardian was more important than he was. And when the time came to choose, to save him or her friends, she made who she loved more clear to him. He fell into the void that day, in more meanings than one.

Janna stiffened. His words resurfaced a part of her memory. She had chosen her guardianship over him… He must not have known who she was (right?), to him she must have left him for no reason other than the word of her friends. She had no idea the heartache she must have caused him. How could she have told him? Her eyes refused to look at him. _This whole thing was a mistake._ "I'm sorry…"

Ala'aldeen forced his hands to calm down. The magic racing in his veins died as he let out a long breath. "I've already forgiven you." Ala'aldeen motioned for Janna to take her seat again.

She didn't move at all. "I never meant to play with your heart back then and I didn't mean to lead you on again just to satisfy my own curiosity."

He rose up from his seat, taking a single step to close the gap between them. "You aren't leading me on. You wouldn't have made the effort to talk to me again if it wasn't sincere."

"That's the problem. I'm not sure if I am being sincere."

"Janna, please look at me. You might not remember, but I do. You never lead me on. You felt what I felt. Still feel. We can start over right where we left off." Ala'aldeen lifted her chin with his hand.

Janna pushed off Ala'aldeen firmly. Her hands resting on his shoulders. "Wait, I-" Janna shook her head and took a step back away from Ala'aldeen. "Please. Let me take some time. To Think about all this." She left before Ala'aldeen could say a word. As soon as Poppy saw Janna leave, she rushed after her.

Ala'aldeen stood there, disappointment, frustration, and anger all racing through his body. He clenched his hand into a tight fist, his knuckles turning white from the strain. Magic leaked out and spread unnoticed to the latte machine inside. It exploded suddenly, jarring all the workers and customers inside. Ala'aldeen left unfazed by his accidental destruction. He needed to find a place to vent.

* * *

"Whoa! Look at that!" Lulu said, her face pushed up against the train's window. Buildings whooshed past her view, her eyes bouncing from one to the other excitedly. Ever since that weird moment in the park Veigar had willingly stuck with Lulu through the rest of the day. They were on their way back to their dorms after having lunch together. "It's like a color explosion!" Sunlight bounced off the tall buildings and into an array of colors. Depending on which city she was in the reflecting sunlight changed colors. In Bandle City it looked like warm reds and oranges. As the train moved into central Valoran the reds turned to purples and pinks and the white clouds were now dull blues. Veigar explained it must have something to do with what is in the air, what kind of paint the buildings used, and the different glass panes.

"Uhuh." Veigar said from his seat on the train, flipping another page from his book.

"You're not even looking…" Lulu pursed her lips, pouting playfully at Veigar.

Veigar gave in and turned around in his chair and watched the sun beam down between the large buildings. Even from this distance he could see the giant statue, 'The Mothership', that marked the center of Bandle City. To him the sun made The Mothership look like it was bursting into flames.

Lulu must have read his mind because she made small explosion sound effects with added jazz hands for emphasis. Pretending the statue was blowing up. It made Veigar laugh. Then he clamped his hands over his mouth. He looked to his side and saw the sparkles in Lulu's eyes. The purple yordle was giddy. She never seen Veigar laugh. Actually, that's not true. She never seen Veigar laugh in good nature and not at the expense of another, never because of Lulu or her silly antics. Yeah that's more accurate.

"Veigar you smiled!" Lulu cupped his face in her hands and smiled. She pinched his cheeks, using her thumbs to force the smile to widen. It only made him want to change the smile into a frown.

"L-Lulu, personal space!" Veigar squeaked out. He wriggled out of her hold and hopped off the train's seat. Thankfully there was no one in the cab, it was the middle of the day during the weekend. Nothing happened until it was late night. "This is our stop, now quite messing around." He huffed.

"Okay!" Lulu hopped off the seat and stood next to Veigar. They waited patiently for the doors to open before stepping off.

…

There are many dorm buildings that Valoran High rented out to their students. None of which are nearby to the train stations. That didn't bother Lulu. It meant that she got to hang out with Veigar that much longer, so what if it was an almost twenty minute walk. Lulu took in the scenery as she walked. Even with the sun still high in the sky she spotted a single star burning bright. She like the stars and took one astrology class to teach her how to look for constellations. Sadly because of Valoran's high amount of light pollution most constellations she was taught to look for were never visible. Veigar liked astrology, he knew all sorts of things about stars. Mainly stuff for witchcraft, but that was still interesting. Maybe she can convince him to go stargazing with her. He had that portable high powered telescope he kept in the occult club's room. Better use it and not let it go to waste.

Veigar stopped and looked down the street, making Lulu stop too. "My dorms this way." He jabbed a thumb at the empty street.

"Oh..." Lulu's ears drooped, her dorm was in the opposite direction. There was only a few coed dorms available, and neither of theirs were one of them. Lulu couldn't invite Veigar over to her room. It was against the rules, and she didn't want to get caught like how Ahri did. She couldn't subject Veigar to that kind of humiliation. "Guess I'll-"

A chill ran up her spine as she felt the familiar sensation of someone watching her. She gripped onto Veigar's arm causing him to growl at her sudden closeness.

"Veigar, that feelings back…" Lulu screwed her eyes shut. It felt like pins and needles were prodding her to the very core. The thin coat of fur on the back of her neck stood on end.

Veigar's eyebrows furrowed. He looked down to Lulu than up around the streets. No one was there. The streets were completely empty. "Lulu, there's no one here-" Veigar froze as he noticed the sudden change in temperature. The spring heat evaporated into a deathly chill. He looked down and noticed the shadow at their feet. Slowly he turned around and saw a man in silhouette slowly drifting down towards them. The sun was beating on his back and it made it hard to look at him. Veigar looked up at the man. "W-who dares-!"

Malzahar was in no mood to listen to Veigar. He was frustrated, and needed an outlet to vent upon. He had no idea what he'd do when he transformed, at first only flying aimless through the city skyline, but finding Veigar and Lulu down below had given him an idea. Malzahar held out both his hands, magic erupted from his hands and wrapped around the yordles' necks. With a flick of the wrist the two yordles were sent flying down a side street and into a vacant lot. They landed roughly on the hard concrete. The litter scatter around the lot do nothing to cushion their fall.

Lulu lost her grip on Pix, the small plushie bouncing away as she skidded to a stop. Her back hurt and her right arm was bleeding from a nasty cut. She winced when she felt the injury, there were fragments of glass stuck inside. She looked over to Veigar who was worst off. He hit the side of the wall before landing. His hands were bleeding from trying to catch himself and there was a massive bruise already forming on his jaw.

Lulu crawled forward, reaching out to Pix, but Malzahar stepped forward making Lulu freeze in fear. He kicked the plushie to the side. Magic or not, the souls in these two yordles were more important. With how brightly each of them shone, there must be enough power between them to finally allow Malzahar to open up a stable portal. Void magic arced between Malzahar's fingers. They crackled with immense power. The souls he had gathered were making him stronger. Veigar pulled Lulu back. Away from the lunatic in robes. His eyes were ablaze with anger. He actually stared Malzahar down as he wrapped his arms protectively around Lulu.

Malzahar laughed at the show of bravery. If he was so set to oppose him and protect Lulu, then he will be the first to go. Void magic shot out of Malzahar's hands, using it like a wedge he pried the two apart. Another pulse of magic pinned Lulu to the ground and dragged Veigar up against the wall behind them. With the two bound Malzahar brought out Mejai's tome from his robe, the soul stealing spell already forming in his mind. Malzahar opened the book to the marked page and muttered the words under his breath. He held out his hand at Veigar, unseen magic bore into Veigar's being, latching onto his soul. Veigar screamed in pain. The noise died as the air in his throat was replaced with green fire. The fire streamed from Veigar to Malzahar's open hand.

Lulu screamed. "V-veigar!" Her eyes darted erratically from her friend to the man slowly killing him. "Stop! Stop whatever you're doing to him!" She yelled to Malzahar. He ignored her wails, she'd be next very soon. Lulu pulled at the magic holding her down. _He's k-killing him._ She pulled harder on the restraining magic. It didn't budge no matter how hard she tried. _Stop, pl-please._ Tears fell to the ground, Lulu sniffed trying and failing to keep herself composed. She tried again, to do something, anything…

Pix budged.

Nothing big. It went unnoticed by everyone. Slowly the plushie rolled off its back. The creature tested out its feet, wiggling one then the others. Pix moved around, getting used to the sensation of the magic bringing him to life. He blinked one button eye then the other. Then again and they were magically replaced with real ones. Pix looked up to his floppy ears, then he pumped them like wings. They sent a rush of magic around him and he hopped up into the air. Lulu noticed the movement. She was breathing heavily, hyperventilating from the panic and stress. "Pix…" She gasped out, her voice not strong enough to carry her words to Malzahar. Pix smiled at Lulu. Then his large eyes hardened as he turned his attention to Malzahar. Pix sucked in a large gulp of air, then shot out a stream of magic at Malzahar.

A lance of glittery magic pierced through Malzahar, the pain made the prophet cut the spell short. The accumulation of green fire in his hand rushed back into Veigar, breathing life back into the black furred yordle. Veigar fell to the ground just as Malzahar took a knee.

Malzahar turned around, magic crackling around him as he looked for who attacked him. He was surprised when a small creature met his gaze. He growled and pulled his hand back to smack the offending creature out of the air.

Lulu thrust her hands forward. Magic flew forth from her fingertips.

Malzahar's whole body erupted in pain. His eyes widened as he noticed his vision distort. All around him the world was being warped and stretched. Like they were growing in size… no they weren't growing he was shrinking. Malzahar's bones cracked and popped as they took on their new shape. His skin prickled as fur sprouted out from his pores. Mejai's book fell from his grasp, his hands could no longer hold it. They were too small and not only that they didn't even have thumbs anymore. Malzahar turned back around and saw a surprised Lulu staring down at him. He opened his mouth to retaliate, but found that his magic was stuck in his throat. He could only let out small squeaks. He was left dumbstruck and in shock.

Lulu acted without thinking, she ran right up to the small squirrel and punted him as hard as she could. Even if he was cute little critter, Lulu wanted to get him as far away from Veigar as possible. Malzahar was sent flying back from her kick. With him out of the way Lulu scooped the book he left behind, the book burned her hands when she touched it. The whole thing felt like it was on fire and ready to burst out of its own bindings. Lulu ignored the pain as best she could and turned to Veigar. Her friend groaned from his spot on the ground. Lulu helped him to his feet. "Veigar, Veigar are you okay?" When she didn't get a response, she slung his arm around his shoulder and ran.

Pix flew up next to her and gave his best smile. Lulu didn't say anything to the spirit her mind was too busy frantically trying to puzzle out, _what just happened!?_ As crazy as all that was when the pieces all came together, Lulu had a small but unmistakable smile on. _Magic!_

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap! Another chapter that actually ended up being more buildup than anything. Truthfully it was gonna be even longer, I wanted to continue writing and jump head first into all the action-y bits. If I didn't cut it off where I did it might have kept going. That may mean the next chapter could be updated sooner than I thought. Who knows. As more characters join up I find myself jumping around the narrative a lot more. I hope everything reads as clear and cohesively as it does in my head. Let me know what you all think.

Well that's all. See you all soon. Love you, bye.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own League of Legends. But I do own a copy of the Mechs vs Minions board game! Oh man is that thing fun.

A/N: Hey everyone sorry this updated so late. I had seriously hit of writer's block and was struggling to finish up this chapter. I might not even be passed it yet, so chapters might still be coming out slowly. But don't worry everyone, I made a personal promise to finish this story no matter how long it takes. Cause I hate it when a story gets left unfinished, and I would hate to do that to everyone who reads this story.

That's all for now, on with the show~!

* * *

The door to the dorm building swung open. Veigar, who was standing on his own now, staggered inside closely followed by Lulu. She put the book she had taken from the mysterious man and once-a-plushie-now-a-real-creature Pix down on a side table and then rushed to the kitchen to grab an ice bag for Veigar. Besides the large bruise on his jaw and his cut up hands, there wasn't anything that looked serious about his condition. Looking at him she was really glad he was okay. Lulu didn't have many friends. Poppy and Veigar were the only ones who Lulu connected with, her eccentric attitude put off most other people. Poppy was really cool in Lulu's opinion. She was the only one that talked to her when she hung out with the other yordles, and Lulu noticed that she practically got along with anyone. And Veigar, he was special. What most people don't see is that the two of them had a lot in common, their outer personalities may be opposites but that doesn't mean they aren't the same.

Whatever that man was doing didn't look like it worked. Lulu was still playing what happened over and over in her head. A man tried to suck the life out of her friend and she stopped him by turning him into a squirrel. That just doesn't happen in the real world. A few girls hanging out in the lounge watched her and Veigar, their appearance and the urgency in Lulu's movement alarmed them. Lulu ignored them as she returned to Veigar and pushed a cold press against his jaw. He flinched at first then settled into it once he took the bag from Lulu's hand. The cold sensation soothed the aching bruise.

Lulu handed him another item. "You hit your head, so you might be concussed." She said. Even though he only hit his jaw a knock to the chin can still shake the brain enough to cause damage. Ask a boxer's why they call the chin the 'button'. Veigar looked down and saw that it was an orange soda, not his favorite. Sugar would keep him awake, which would be important if he was concussed. He didn't say anything, only responding with the faintest of nods. He hadn't said anything at all since the attack, Lulu figured he was still in shock and was numb to everything happening around him. She stepped around him and picked up the book and Pix again. The spirit was unmoving and unblinking, it confused Lulu for a split second before she realised he was probably pretending because of the girls sitting in the lounge.

Taliyah, a first year student like Lulu, walked up to the two yordles. Her eyes bouncing to Veigar's jaw, to his hands, and then to Lulu's bleeding arm. Concern flickered in her voice. "Lulu what happened?"

Lulu thought of an excuse as she stepped past the girl and back to Veigar's side. "Uh, we uh ran into some jerks while we were out." She said quickly.

Taliyah nodded, accepting Lulu's story without question. She knelt down to look at them more carefully. "And you guys are okay? We can get Ms. Soraka down here if you need her." The school nurse was always willing to give students in-dorm checkups. It was her job to make sure the kids attending Valoran high were well, and she took that job very seriously.

"No, it's okay." Lulu said a touch too quickly. "We're fine. Really." Honestly how could she tell them a maniac in purple robes tried to suck Veigar's soul out. Before Lulu tells Ms. Soraka, or anyone for that matter, she needed to understand what was going on in the first place. Why had that man attacked them, and how did she do that magic thing to stop him. "Um, promise you won't tell anyone, but I'm going to bring Veigar up to my room… He needs to rest and his dorm is too far to walk back to."

Taliyah looked at Lulu then to Veigar, who refused to look her in the eyes. Unlike his normal egotistical mood Veigar looked subdued. He was reeling back into himself and was looking very small. That was actually off putting, Taliyah shared class with Veigar and if he wasn't being his usual loud self-imposing self then something was definitely wrong. There was a pause as she thought about it, "I don't know Lulu. I think we should at least tell the dorm advisor. That looks pretty bad." Taliyah gestured to both Lulu's bleeding arm and Veigar's bruised jaw.

Lulu held her arm as if to hide it from view and also stepped in between Taliyah and Veigar. "It's just a scratch and bump. Nothing a little R&R can't fix."

Taliyah narrowed her eyes, but relented eventually. "Okay I promise I won't tell, but it's on you if you get caught, or if that gets worse."

"Thanks Taliyah." Lulu wrapped an arm around Veigar and started to lead him up the stairs.

Taliyah watched them go, she was tempted to call the school even after she promised not to. She went back to sit at the lounge to explain to the other girls there what happened, and to make sure no one told on Lulu about bringing Veigar into her room. Something told Taliyah that even with her keeping quiet, rumors were bound to spread. Taliyah sat back down right as the door opened up again. Another short yordle came walking through.

Poppy sighed as she closed the door behind her. She scuffed her feet against the worn door mat, kicking off any dirt she tracked inside. Things hadn't gone too well after Janna's reunion with her ex-boyfriend what's-his-name. Poppy never caught that information, then again she was still trying to figure out how the two ended up together. In her opinion she was too good for him, to her she thought he looked like a creep. When Poppy told Janna what she thought it only upset her fellow guardian more. Janna said she needed time alone and before Poppy could say otherwise she transformed and flew off.

 _Maybe I should call Lux. She's much closer to Janna than I am._ Poppy stalked over to the kitchen. The retractable stepping stool was already undone, so Poppy hopped up on it and opened the fridge. When she looked inside she noticed someone had taken her orange soda, there was one missing when Poppy distinctly remembered there being three cans left not two. Poppy frowned, no one dared touch her sodas. Then rolled her eyes, it had to be Lulu. She was the only one that could get away with stealing Poppy's stuff. At least not without yet another warning to tell her not to. Grabbing the soda, Poppy kicked the fridge closed and went back to the lounge.

Poppy spotted Taliyah in the lounge, the girl's spiky hair was unmistakable from behind. "Hey Taliyah, have you seen Lulu?" She popped the tab and took a large swig of the soda.

Taliyah turned around rigidly. "Uh… no~?"

…

Malzahar ran across the street. It took much longer than usual, his altered body was much smaller than he was used to. It was also much furrier. The small squirrel cursed as he dodged another oncoming car. He tried to access his magic again, the spell keeping him in this confined state was also inhibiting his magic. _Damn her!_ Lulu had surprised him, her ability to control magic was completely unexpected. The fact she was able to actually disable him meant she had a great deal of power. And the only beings able to fight equally against him were the Guardians. He had failed to realise the fact that since the Void was growing in power the First Star would awaken more guardians to oppose it, just like it had done before. Lulu must be another guardian. He flexed his tiny hands and felt the familiar sensation of magic arcing between his fingers. _Yes, finally._ The spell was wearing off. Malzahar let the Void magic wash over his body, forcing it to reverse the transformation.

Pain shot throughout his whole body as he snapped back into human form. The sudden reversal of the spell left him weak kneed. It was like all his joints were dislocated and were forced back into their sockets. The shock alone made his head spin. There was a blar of a car horn as Malzahar turned to see an oncoming car slam on its break. Angrily Malzahar let magic burst from his hands and smashed them into the car's hood. The car crumpled from the impact, the passenger inside was knocked out and smoke billowed out from the engine. Another car couldn't stop in time and rear ended the first car. A line of cars appeared as they all slowed to a halt before the prophet. Malzahar watched them all, they stared back in surprise as he walked past them unfazed by the accident he caused.

One driver who saw what happened opened his car door. He got half way out of his car and called out, "H-hey!"

Malzahar sent a large burst of Void magic over his shoulder and crashing into the man's car. It threw the man back into the seat and caved in the car's side. The blast of power made it skidded across the street and into the nearby building. People panicked instantly. Some threw their cars in reverse and gunned it down the street, others ditched their cars entirely. Malzahar saw them run with a smirk on his face, he enjoyed the fear he caused. Then he frowned. He can't go on a rampage because he was angry. It was childish and would only bring the guardians down on him. They would ruin everything he was working for, and if they sent him back to the Void he'd have to explain how he lost the book Vel'Koz given him. _Dammit_. That stupid yordle took the book without really knowing what she grabbed. Focus, he needed to find Lulu before she messes with it. The power inside the book amplified any magical powers the holder had. What was worse was that she was actually a guardian, he had no idea what would happen if her magic mixed with the magic in the book.

That is if she kept it. There was a possibility she might have thrown it away or hid it just to keep it out of his hands. Even if the world here was practically devoid of magic, there were special cases. Those with exceptional souls might have latent powers they're unaware of. If someone like that got their hands on it then who knows what could happen. Malzahar looked down the street then back around to the cars. His frantic rush around as a squirrel made him lose track of where he was in the city. Lulu and Veigar were already long gone. Malzahar let out another growl. Screw it, he needed to find the book as soon as possible to hell with keeping a low profile.

 _She's a student._ Malzahar thought. _I'll check the dorms first._

Malzahar took to the sky, not caring about the stares he drew. It didn't take long for him to find the dorm. There were only a handful to keep track of, this one was the only other that accommodated yordles and was for females only. Unceremoniously Malzahar blasted the door off its hinges. Sending it careening through the lobby and resting at the foot of the stairs. The girls sitting at the lounge all jumped at the loud crash. Even the yordle with the pigtails dropped her soda when she laid eyes on Malzahar.

…

Lulu let Veigar sit on her bed. She didn't mind his intrusion. She plopped down the book next to him and for the first time since the attack he spoke up. "Lulu." His voice was nothing but a whisper. He curled into a ball, hugging his knees close to his chest. What that guy did was indescribable. It was almost like what he felt back when… Veigar shook his head to stop himself from remembering, unconsciously he rubbed his wrists. He could still feel the scars the sleeves hid from everyone. "I think I almost died…" That was something he thought he would never say again.

She didn't know what to say. What could she even say? Instead she walked over to him and wordlessly wrapped her arms around him tightly. He shuddered in her arms. For the longest time he was convinced no one cared about him and everyone would be better off without him. That stopped when the two of them met. He didn't know then, and would deny it now, but he really cared for her. Because to him she was the one who helped him with his depression, even if she didn't know it. He had thought he had gotten over those feelings. Which was stupid of him, of course it doesn't magically go away. It' was always in the back of his mind, it was just that Lulu was always in the forefront to keep him out of his own head. She always tried so hard to be his friend. He feared if he accepted her friendship she would stop trying so hard.

When the man attacked him the depression came crashing back. He thought he was going to lose everything he worked hard for. With every passing second in that man's grasp the coldness around his heart returned and even grew worse. All over again he was in Noxus' worse middle school struggling day after day. Suffering humiliation from fellow students and neglect from uncaring teachers. Sometimes lying in bed all day, not eating, barely sleeping. Then Lulu saved him, she stopped that man with some crazy power.

After a moment, Lulu pulled away. She looked down to Pix, his bright black orbs stared back. Silently they shared a conversation. Veigar had seen it move in the vacant lot so he knew it was more than a plushie. He was under the assumption that was the thing that allowed for Lulu to use magic. Lulu nodded. "Okay. Pix says we need to find the guardians. This book here is some kind of evil magic and we need to get it to them."

Veigar nodded then heard the crash. Lulu and Veigar looked at each other. They rushed to the door, cracking it open slightly so the can peek around the corner. More crashes were heard from downstairs. Then one final one that sounded mainly like glass. Lulu and Veigar moved to the window and saw down below the Blue Star Guardian facing off against the man in purple robes.

A chill ran up Veigar's spine when he saw him again.

* * *

Lux tapped her pencil against her notebook impatiently. She was sitting in between Ezreal and Jayce writing down their ideas for a 'good' Star Guardian manga. Their lunch was eaten and forgotten, pushed aside when the topic of making their own manga came up. "No, we don't HAVE to have a love interest." Lux said. She got roped into helping them as she was part of the Literature Club and was more familiar with writing than either of the boys. Jayce rolled his eyes. Lux stared at him not backing down. "I'm not writing a flat self insert of a character just to satisfy you."

Ezreal choked back a laugh. "She got you there… Look, we don't want to end up with too many characters when a good handful can do. We'd just end up like all those shonen animes with a ton of characters that get no screen time and end up flat because of it. The best friend role already acts as moral support and a 'escape' back to reality." He pointed to the notes Lux had. "Also you aren't the one who's gonna end up drawing them all."

Jayce crossed his arms. "What about the readers? They'd need to have a character they can see themselves in."

"And that should be the protagonist." Lux said. "The main character is usually the one the readers relate to the most."

The argument went back and forth from there. Vi was less amused by it than Caitlyn was. The brunette watched them talk with a smile on her face. "They're getting along really well." Caitlyn said. "She's even tolerating Jayce." She took a bite out of her salad.

"If you call it that… I thought the idea was to get Ezreal away from anime, not Lux into it." Vi said. She was pushing around the last of her food around with her fork.

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow. "Where did you get that idea?"

"Okay fine, I'm partially just sick of hearing them go on and on about all that junk. It's seriously annoying."

"Yes and No Ez," Lux cut between whatever argument Ezreal and Jayce was having. "No matter what we're going to write something that appeals to us first. We have to like what we make or else we will never work on it."

"That's what I'm saying." Jayce said. "Likeability is all that matters. If people like our version of 'Momo' then they'll like our version. Who cares if she isn't true to her character. We're making it up anyways."

Lux bit her lip at that. She wasn't necessarily making up anything about herself if she writes this.

"It so does too matter. People are inevitably gonna compare the real life guardian to the publicated ones. Ours included." Ezreal said as he took out his phone. In two flicks his fingers opened up the tumblr app and navigated over to Ahri's Star Guardian blog. He flipped it around so the others can see. "I'll I'm saying is we just keep an eye out on the blogs about her and gleam what we can."

"All those blogs are just photos people snapped of her, and stupid RP blogs. Which I remind you are just fan interpretations. Hey, just like ours is gonna be." Jayce argued back.

The boys' words fell on deaf ears as Lux looked at the blog and a cold shiver ran up her spine. Sure enough there were pictures of her, those weren't surprising. Ahri had a huge collection of them and one of Nocturne, the wraith Janna had told Lux about. None of which made Lux react until she refreshed the app. What made Lux freeze up was the latest post. It was only a few seconds old. Lux tapped the screen to enlarge the picture. On the screen was a picture taken from the top floor of the girls dorm looking down onto the street, and on the street was Poppy squaring off against Malzahar.

"Whoa hey is that happening right now?" Ezreal said as he took his phone back. He started to rapidly refresh the page to see if any new post comes up. Jayce leaned into Lux to look at the phone too. Vi and Caitlyn looked intrigued if a little uncomfortable. They never got over the brainwashing incident that time Malzahar fought the guardians in the school gymnasium.

Lux could feel the anxiety rising in her chest. She needed to go, now! Poppy was the least experienced of their team and for all Lux knew Poppy still couldn't use her abilities consistently. Lux promised herself this wouldn't happen, she couldn't leave her teammates hanging again. Quickly she pulled out her phone and dialed Janna, pretending it was her who called Lux. Whether or not she answered didn't matter. Lux needed a cover story and leave asap.

Janna's voice was soft and quiet over on her end. "Lux? Did Poppy tell you to call me? I'm sorry but I'm in no mood to talk right now."

Lux didn't register Janna's words, too busy plowing through with her own. "Hey Janna. What's up? Uh no I'm just still just hanging out with Ezreal."

Her tone and words confused Janna before it clicked. "Lux, tell them I have something personal I want to talk to you about." Which wasn't necessarily a lie, but there was other more important matters to take care of first. "Something about an old boyfriend, they'll understand."

"Mhmm." Lux hummed like she was listening intently, chewing on her lip lightly. She hoped no one caught onto her tell, she always chewed her lip when she lied. While she faked a conversation she silently shoo'd Ezreal out of the booth so she can get out and talk privately. He moved out politely, not wanting to interrupt her call. His attention was still on the app anyhow. "Sounds like your ex is just being a jerk." Lux said off handedly.

Janna knew Lux was making up the story for the others to hear but it still made Janna wince. Ever since her talk with Ala'aldeen, Janna felt conflicted. She wondered if she still had feelings for him but even so, she had made her choice to become a Star Guardian again. Would that mean she again would have to choose between him and her responsibility. She cannot put him through that again, her fragmented memories showed her how happy they were and to rip that away a second time would be heartless. Janna needed to talk to someone or else these emotions would only build up inside her until it was too late. All that would have to wait. "Once you're free tell me what's happening."

Lux walked over to a secluded hall that lead to the back of the restaurant they were eating in. When she was out of earshot of the others she told Janna about what she saw. "I just saw on Ahri's blog that Poppy is fighting against Malzahar. They're fighting right in front of her dorm building. I think it might be possible he found out she only recently awoke and is taking advantage of it."

"Maybe... I'm nearby, I'll rush over as quickly as possible. You head out too."

"Right, I'll say something about how you need to talk to me. Something about your ex."

Janna didn't want to say anything more. She will have the chance to actually talk to Lux after Malzahar is taken care of. Besides it'd be better if she relieved some pent up emotions first. "Okay, I'll see you there." Janna hung up.

Lux pocketed her phone and rushed over to her friends. "Hey guys, sorry something came up. Janna is having problems with an ex of hers and wants me to come over."

Vi and Caitlyn shared a look. "She's talking to Al again?" Vi asked.

Caitlyn hummed, "I have seen her talking to him recently. They used to be inseparable, before."

Lux looked to each of them, lightly biting her lip, "Right him. I have to get going. You guys can keep my notebook, maybe tell me what you come up with afterwards." She waved a hasty goodbye. The group waved back but Lux was already out the door.

"Huh" Vi said leaning into her seat, "Thought they broke it off like a year ago. Didn't think they'd try to patch things up this late."

Ezreal held up his hand, "Question. Who are we talking about?"

"Ala'aldeen and Janna. They used to date last year." Caitlyn said. "I saw it coming Vi. It was obvious he still had feelings for her. Even though she acted like he never existed before until a few weeks ago."

"Oof, must've been some break up if she stopped talking to him cold turkey." Jayce said.

"For real. " Ezreal said as he grabbed Lux's notebook. He'll make sure him and Jayce work more on this project of theirs. He can return it when they go to class monday morning. He turned to stuff it in his bag when he noticed Lux's bag was still sitting next to him. "Oh shit." Everyone turned as Ezreal brought up Lux bag for the others to see. "Lux forgot her bag."

"Lucky we found it. We can give it back to her at school." Jayce said, leaning back in his seat.

"Uh no he can't, dumbass." Vi cut in, knowing the two boys in front of her didn't understand how much a girl actually carried in their bags.

"Her wallet is still in there." Caitlyn said, remembering how Lux had to pay for new clothes to replace the ones Jinx ruined. "And probably her train card. She'll have to walk to Valoran unless you give it back to her right away."

"Oh damn." Ezreal said as he hurriedly rushed onto his feet. "Right then we gotta hurry. C'mon Jayce."

"Nnnope. This is all on you Cassanova. No point in me chasing after a girl I can't catch. Besides I'm covering you for your food this time." Jayce said with a smirk.

"Ugh, you're such an ass." Ezreal shook his head and ran after Lux.

…

Ezreal didn't expect Lux to be rushing as much as she was. He caught her blonde head bobbing in the crowd when he left the restaurant and had yet to make any progress in catching up to her. She slipped passed the crowded sidewalk with ease while he was bumping into one person after the other trying his best to keep her insight. "Excuse me excuse me." He repeated passing by people. Sometimes he wished they hung out in the less popular plazas. Every time they went it was over crowded with people. Then again, this places did have the coolest shops.

Lux was moving as fast as she could. In her hand she had her phone, trying to call Janna again. She wanted to be kept up to date on the situation. The phone rang twice before Janna picked up. There was a whoosh of air as the phone was muffled by Janna's flying. A second later it clear as Janna altered the wind around it. "...Mhmm… Okay good... I'm just about to get out of the crowd. I'll keep you on until you get there."

In his rush Ezreal almost missed Lux slipping into a side street. _That doesn't lead to the station…_ Ezreal thought. He tried to call out to her, maybe she got turned around and went down the wrong street by mistake. She didn't hear him, she was too far away and the hustle and bustle of people drowned him out. He picked up the pace and ran down the street once he was clear of the crowd. For a moment he lost Lux. The street was unfamiliar to him, unlike the street over this place was residential. The back street to an apartment complex. Ezreal looked from one end then to the other only seeing Lux head into an alley at the last moment. Something was definitely up now. He chased after her down into the alley where he lost sight of her once again. Further in the alley turned in on itself.

Right as he rounded the corner the place was filled with blinding light. Ezreal was caught by surprise and he stumbled back. He fell onto his backside and used his hands to rub away the spots in his eyes. _What the hell?_ His vision was a complete wash of white, he couldn't see anything at all. He could only hear someone laughing up ahead.

Once his sight returned he saw it was Jinx kneeling over a work light. The bright bulb illuminating the whole alleyway, blinding anyone unfortunate enough to look directly at it. Jinx smirked at him as she readjusted it so it was pointed at the wall, then dimmed it so it wasn't as harsh as before.

"Jinx? What the hell are you doing here?" He asked.

"Pretty sure that'd be obvious Blondie." She stood up and turned away from Ezreal, hardly acknowledging him. She closed one eye and used her hands to frame the wall between her fingers, envisioning her next greatest piece of art. There was a set of spray cans around the work light, arranged in a manner that was akin to a color pallet.

He rolled his eyes and looked around the alley. Lux was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Poppy was down on one knee leaning heavily onto her hammer. Each breath she took was laboured and took more out of her than it brought in. Okay maybe it wasn't the best idea to take on this bozo alone. But he was threatening her classmates, what was she to do? She had transformed after all the others cleared out. He was making his way upstairs when she swung her hammer at him. Now they were outside, the pavement was cracked in several spots where her hammer hit, not once did it crack into that star shaped pattern she wanted. The only magic she was able to do was summon her buckler. Lot of help that was, his magic phased right through her, completely ignoring the shield.

Poppy grunted as she forced herself onto her feet. Her knees shook as she hefted her hammer up.

Malzahar was taken aback by the sudden appearance of another guardian he was not aware of. Twice in one day. For a second he had thought it was Lulu, but she didn't look similar enough. No matter. The way she carelessly swung her weapon about like it was a glorified bat meant she still didn't have a grasp of her powers. She also made no attempt to come after him as he hung in the air. This fight was in his favor

"Come down here and fight me you coward!" Poppy yelled.

Malzahar ignored her, he was scanning the building's many windows looking for Lulu. If she was still here that is. Pain shot through his side. He clutched his rib as he noticed her shield ricochet off him. His empty eyes looked down at the yordle, a smirk on her face. "You annoying little-!" Malzahar yelled, a ball of void magic building up in his hand.

Poppy dove to the side when Malzahar threw the spell, knowing full well how much his attacks can hurt. She rolled onto her feet and then felt static run up her legs like they had fallen asleep. They were sluggish and unresponsive. Poppy looked down to see the street was transformed by a shallow pool of void energy. Standing in it was draining her, and it was getting harder to stay on her feet the longer she stood in it. She turned to run, get out of the zone as quickly as she could.

Malzahar predicted her movement and tore open a set of portals. Poppy's eyes widened when she saw them. She couldn't move out of the way fast enough. She summoned her shield, which would barely help, and braced herself.

Poppy staggered as she forced herself to keep on her feet. Her vision was getting blurry and she could taste copper in her mouth. She sucked in a breath, pushing the pain out of her mind. She turned back around and stared at Malzahar. An insult died on her tongue when she heard the skittering of a voidling rushing at her. In the nick of time, Poppy brought up her shield as a sharp claw struck her. It slammed into the shield and she skidded back from the attack. She choked up on her hammer and jabbed it at the voidling. The blunt strike knocked the creature back, stunned from the quick blow.

…

Lulu and Veigar watched the fight from her room. They were ducked behind the window sill and peeked out from under the curtains. Lulu fidgeted uncomfortably, she was watching a one sided fight and could do nothing to help. Try as she might, and she did try, she couldn't turn the man into a squirrel like she did before. She waved her hands frantically again. Her eyes narrowed in pure concentration.

Veigar grabbed her arms and stopped her. "What are you doing!?" He hissed. "He'll see you!"

"I-I was trying to turn him into a squirrel or something." Lulu said, rubbing her hands anxiously. Her eyes kept darting back and forth to the fight. "Like when I saved you."

Veigar let go of Lulu, his ears twitched from beneath his cap. He looked back to the fight and Lulu could see he was frightened. The Blue Star Guardian was having trouble, she was surrounded by Voidlings. The spider-like creatures were putting up a fight, and whenever she thought she had the upper hand Malzahar would hit her with a spell disrupting any momentum she had.

Pix came over to them at that moment. He looked to Veigar and nuzzled him affectionately. Trying to comfort him, even if a little bit. Veigar was passed his surprise when he saw the creature move, Lulu had told him what happened in the vacant lot. He turned away from the window, unable to continue watching. He pushed his back up against the wall, sliding down to hug his knees.

"Hmmm we have to do something." Lulu said quietly, unaware she was voicing her thoughts aloud. Pix jumped into her arms, nodding his head. Lulu stared down at him for a quiet second. "Yeah... we have to get closer…"

Veigar was stunned, he couldn't bare see Lulu get hurt. Even if he would never say it aloud, he cared for her. She was his first friend. How could that little fur ball tell her to go out there. He shifted in his spot and looked at her, "Don't be stupid! You can't fight him."

Lulu stood up, Pix firmly in her grasp. "That guy is only here because we took his book." She walked over to her bed, where the book sat ominously. "And I know I can do something to stop him. Pix said so too."

Veigar looked at Lulu then to Pix. They stared at each other silently until Veigar growled and looked away. He stared at the ground harshly, "I don't care what you say you little poro wannabe." Veigar stopped himself arguing more, not agreeing with what the creature said to him. _Destiny, pff_. He pushed off the wall and walked over to the Lulu, he reached over and snatched the book off the bed. Lulu reached out to stop him, he didn't know it hurt to touch. But he didn't feel anything like that cold burn she felt. In fact it was more like a shot of adrenaline to his system. "If that asshole needs this book, then let's destroy it!"

"Veigar don't!" Lulu tried to stop him. Before she could, Veigar took a handful of pages and tore them free from the bindings.

…

Malzahar flew up higher, dodging another shield thrown by Poppy. She was much more resilient than the other guardians, that's for sure. He watched as she slammed her hammer down onto a Voidling, turning the thing into pulp beneath its weight.

There was a sudden explosion, waves of energy erupted from the dorm building. Malzahar jumped at the sensation, he could feel the power wash over him and it set his whole body on fire. For a split second he thought he was paralyzed, his body was numb and he couldn't move a muscle. Even his magic was momentarily weakened. When he finally got his body under control he turned and saw several windows have shattered. Whatever caused it wasn't that big or destructive, it was more like a sonic boom. And he could take a guess at what was the cause. He looked to the window in the center of all the others. Through it he could see a surprised little yordle staring back at him from the floor. Right beside him was the undamaged Mejai's tome.

Veigar scrambled to her feet. He could see Lulu across the room laying on her side. The only movement was the soft rise and fall of her steady breathing. Veigar rushed to her side but stopped in his tracks. Stepping through the window, Malzahar made Veigar freeze up. He stared at him for a second then looked down to Lulu. Malzahar followed his gaze and saw the small yordle on the ground hurt.

Slowly he looked back to Veigar, raising an open palm to her threateningly. "Hand over that book or else I'll do more to her than rip out her soul."

Veigar picked up the book, a small ripple of power ran up his hands, and inched away from Malzahar. Veigar's eyes flickered to Lulu. Thankfully he saw her move, groggily getting up from the shock. He momentarily locked eyes with her, before quickly looking away, silently wishing for her to stay down and out of notice. He met Malzahar head on, his voice shaky but determined as he spoke to the void prophet. "Don't you DARE touch her." Unbeknownst to him, energy crackled in his clenched fist as he spoke. Malzahar on the other hand did notice. "If you so much as move towards her I-I'll rip out all the pages." Veigar threatened even if he knew trying to damage the book would result in a repeat explosion.

Malzahar lowered his hand, for the moment going along with Veigar. All his magical sense were flaring up, screaming that he needed to get Veigar away from the book as soon as possible. His emotions were running rampant and the tome was fueling him, his fight or flight response on overdrive. "Alright…" Malzahar took one step away from Lulu "Hand the book over."

If it meant saving Lulu, he'll let the mad man have his book. Slowly Veigar inched closer, arms stretched out. Magic burst forward piercing Malzahar from behind. Catching both the prophet and Veigar by surprise. They turned to see Pix angrily glaring at Malzahar, he couldn't let the book fall into his hands.

Malzahar didn't want to waste more time, and let his anger get the best of him. Magic coursed up his arms as he turned to strike at the offensive little creature. Pix jumped out of the way as the blast hit too close to Lulu.

Veigar heard Lulu yelp quietly as she struggled to her feet. She was just about to steady herself when she felt the magical pull of Malzahar lift her up.

"You little pest." Malzahar's grip tightened around her throat, making Lulu choke for air. He turned around to look at Veigar. "Last time. Give. Me. The. Book." Every word was punctuated with a strangled gasp from Lulu as Malzahar clenched his fist tighter and tighter.

Veigar felt his blood boil. His vision became a blur and his eyes glowed an eerie yellow. Malzahar felt the magic swirl around Veigar, like there was an imbalance and an equilibrium in power needed to be made. Malzahar dropped Lulu and conjured up a rift, he needed to stop Veigar before he drew in too much magic.

The was a small pull in the center of the room as if there was a vacuum of space that needed to be filled, then a POP! Purple magic filled the air like static, Malzahar felt his eyes sting and he couldn't move them to look away… He couldn't move at all actually. He was frozen in place, stunned by whatever spell Veigar conjured up. Malzahar struggled to move an arm or call his magic. Nothing. He was stuck in some kind of stasis. He was forced to watch as Veigar walked around him and over to Lulu. She fell into unconsciousness from the lack of air. Pix was hovering over her, he too was frozen in place like Malzahar. The little spirit was too focused on his guardian to notice Veigar's spell affect him.

Carefully, Veigar moved Lulu so she was in a more comfortable position. She was still okay, and that was good. But she was hurt, and that could not go unpunished. Veigar looked down at the book in his hands and flipped through it. Power coursed through his body, and the words on the pages filled his mind with ideas. "You tried to rip out my soul… just like everyone I ever met you decided to pick on someone who was weaker than you because you were stronger." Veigar walked back around to Malzahar, so that the prophet can look at the yordle in the face. "Now _I_ have the power and I'm in control."

Malzahar didn't feel his eyes widen, he didn't even know if they could in his current position, but if they could they would. This damn little rodent is going to try and kill him.

…

Outside, Janna soared close to the dorm. Below she could see the end of Poppy's fight. She had rushed over as fast as she could after Lux had called her. She pushed her feelings aside and focused on her duty. The phone in her hand buzzed, Lux was still on the line asking what's happening. "I'm here now. I can see Poppy but not Malzahar."

Poppy slammed her hammer into the last of the voidlings, reducing it to only a smear on the pavement. She winced when she hefted her hammer up onto her shoulder. She touched her side and noticed some blood staining her cuirass from a noticeable cut. _Damn, so it isn't indestructible._ Those bugs packed a harder punch than she thought. When she looked up she saw Janna and waved to her. A moment later the Purple Star Guardian landed a few feet away.

"Poppy." Janna said as a small greeting.

"Hey." Poppy heaved, "That robbed bozo. I saw him fly into the building while I was distracted." Poppy sounded rough even if she put on a strong front. "There was some kind of explosion that blew out all the windows. I'm guessing what ever caused it is why he's even here."

"Okay, I'll give you a lift and we'll come in through the window."

"Sounds good to me." Not a second after Poppy said so, wind rippled around her feet and she was lifted off the ground. She took a moment to steady herself then nodded to Janna she was ready. "Aim for the third floor, fourth window from the left." Poppy said as she pointed to the window. She knew which room that window belonged to. She hoped for whatever reason Malzahar was here he would leave Lulu alone.

In one strong gust, Janna tossed both of them into the window.

Poppy landed first, she tucked and rolled and came up with her hammer cocked back ready to swing. But the hammer felt like dead weight in her hands as she saw Malzahar standing frozen. "Wh-what the?" Before her was Veigar hand raised and an unnatural green fire flaring wildly in his open palm.

Veigar was startled from Poppy's sudden entry, and the fire burst and expanded uncontrollably before he reigned it back in.

Janna landed more gracefully, with a furious tailwind building up behind her. She got one look at Malzahar before her eyes traced the fire to Veigar's hands. The book he was holding sent a cold shiver down her back, and without hesitation unleashed the torrent of wind she collected. The wind slammed into Veigar and tossed him harshly into the wall.

Poppy's vision snapped to her fellow guardian. "Janna what the hell!?"

Janna strode over to Veigar and knelt down to snatch the book away from him. "That book should not be in anyone's hands. It's too dangerous." She only got within arms reach when Veigar pushed her back. A blast of baleful fire smacking her in the chest.

The strike pushed Janna back, allowing Veigar to create another event. Trapping the guardians in place like he had done with Malzahar.

With them frozen he started to build up malefic energy in his hands again. This time he would get the spell right.

A small groan caught his attention, Lulu was coming to. The little yordle's eyes fluttered opened and then widened when she saw Veigar. His eyes had a scary glow and his hand was engulfed in fire. Her eyes went down to the book in his hands. She jumped to her feet too quickly and stumbled back down to her knees. "Veigar, put that book down. You don't know what you're doing."

"No." Veigar said. He turned his attention back to Malzahar. "This guy tried to kill me, tried to kill YOU. I have to stop him."

Lulu pushed herself up off the floor. "You already did. Stop, please. Pix said that book was dangerous, and look what it's doing to you." Veigar was grump, but Lulu never thought he would be malicious. This wasn't like him, Lulu knew him better.

Veigar looked down to the floor, His grip on the book tightening. "You don't get it… He won't stop just because we ask him to, he'll just keeping doing what he pleases cause he is stronger. Not even the guardians could stop him, not permanently. Well, now I'm stronger." He looked over to Lulu, "I'm trying to help."

"You're wrong Veigar. Just cause you're doing something 'right' doesn't make the way you do it 'right'."

Veigar shook his head angrily, the fistful of fire in his hand shot back into Malzahar sending the prophet toppling to the floor like a mere toy. "NO, he's just like everyone else. They think they can do whatever they want because no one stops them! Just because no one can stand up to them, they can prey on those weaker. I KNOW how it is." Veigar's eyes welled up, small drops of tears were in his eyes.

"I know it too... " Lulu was quiet, really quiet. She rubbed her hands together. He might not really know it, but he was still dealing with the backlash from his time in middle school. Even after all this time he still kept that chip on his shoulder. "The yordles in Bandle City can be just as mean as the kids in Noxus… I may not have gotten the same scars as you but…that doesn't mean i don't have any."

Veigar didn't say anything. This was the first time he had seen Lulu drop her outgoing personality. To him, she was always so bright, cheerful and a little annoying in a good way. Seeing her like this…

"Everyone ignored me… no one wanted to play or hang out, they thought i was too weird… Playing with fairies and make believe while I should have grown out of it… I-I know sometimes even you think I'm too much."

"No… you're not. You're the... " Veigar shook his head. "You and I deserved better. And now that I can make that happen, I will!" Veigar raised his hand, primordial energy erupted in his hand. It built up until it was the size of a basketball. He pointed his hand at Malzahar, his frozen form.

"Veigar don't!" Lulu's words died as the blast shot forward with terrifying speed. She reacted as quickly as she could. Pix was shifted from his spot, her magic unfreezing him, allowing him to teleport over to Malzahar and raise up a shield. Reluctant as she was to help the mad man, she couldn't allow Veigar to kill him, who knows what would happen to her brest friend if he ever crossed that line.

At that moment light enveloped Lulu. Her hair turned into a vibrant almost neon green. The dress she wore was encased in light, changing it so it was completely white. It hung low, almost passed her knees, and it was trimmed with a gold hem. There was part below the waist where she wore a green skirt like her fellow guardians. Light wrapped around her feet and hands and she was adorned in matching gloves and boots, also pure white with a gold hem. Her uniform looked the most innocent when compared to the rest of the guardians. Lastly a tiara, similar to the others, sat atop her head.

Veigar was taken aback from her sudden transformation. Lulu took a second to look at herself, then to the other guardians. A heavy weight fell into her hands as a long golden staff adorned with a golden hoop shaped like a heart materialized.

Regaining her composure, she took a step towards Veigar. "If you do this, you will be no better than him."

He didn't say anything, he only gave one last look over to Malzahar, then to the guardians, and finally to Lulu. "I'm right Lulu, I know I am." With that final word, he took off in a run.

Lulu started to go after him, then slammed on her metaphorical breaks. There was a haze of magic around the doorway. She would have frozen in place like the rest of them if she hadn't stopped herself. Turning around she looked out the window. With one deep breath she ran over to it and jumped.

* * *

Lux flew overhead, she was coming up to the dorm building when she saw all the destruction. The pavement was cracked and was littered with loose rubble. There was also glass everywhere, almost all of the windows on the building were blown out. From her spot in the air she could see a few girls still inside hiding. Slowly she moved from one window to the next. Janna and Poppy weren't on the street anymore, so she assumed they had gone inside. What scared her was that she couldn't hear any fighting, and Malzahar wasn't around either…

She made it to the third floor when something hit her. She raised her shield instinctively before realising what, or rather who, hit her. Lux wrapped an arm around Lulu so she would fall, and made her way to the roof top. Lux landed gently and set Lulu down. She knew Lulu was the next guardian they were going to try and recruit but she and Janna agreed to postpone doing so to allow Poppy to train and get used to using her abilities. "Lulu, what are you doing? When did you awaken?" She asked. If she had transformed then that meant she realized who she was from a past life or memory, or it meant she was put in great danger that forced the transformation to help protect herself or another. (Or stop someone from making a grave mistake). Lux really wished it was only because she saw Poppy and Janna as the guardians.

"You know… duh, of course you would know who I am…" Lulu shook her head. "No wait, that doesn't matter right now. We have to find Veigar!" Lulu grabbed Lux's hand and pulled her to the building's edge. Her head scanned the street below, should couldn't find him. That means he hadn't gone out the front, he must have ran out the back and through the alleyways. Lulu pulled Lux again, running across the rooftop to the back.

Lux slipped out of Lulu's grip and stopped the little yordle. "Whoa, slow down. Where are the other guardians. The ones that came before me. And where is Malzahar, the man attacking the dorm."

Lulu fidgeted anxiously. She wanted to go after Veigar as soon as possible. The longer she waited the more trouble he could get into. She sighed reluctantly, "They're in my room. Veigar froze them in place. That's why we HAVE to find him." Lulu hopped up onto the decorative stone crenellations. "He has a book, and both Pix and the Purple Guardian said we need to get it out of his hands as soon as possible."

Lux thought about what to do. From the sound of it, Veigar was the reason for her friends being frozen. If they went after him he might be able to unfreeze them. That was still a pretty big 'if'. No, she had to check up on her friends first, she can't leave them behind without at least checking on them. There was also the fact Malzahar was also among the ones frozen, and if got free first she would have left her fellow guardians defenseless.

"Sorry Lulu, we need to make sure they're alright first. Show me where they are."

"B-but Veigar… Fine, I'll find him on my own!" Lulu pouted. Before Lux could say anything she jumped off the rooftop. Lux didn't know if she could fly or not and so rushed to the rooftop's edge. She looked down and saw Lulu holding her staff out in front of her as if it was the one flying and Lulu was being dragged behind it. Lux mentally cursed as she took off after her, she was much faster than either her or Janna.

"Veigar! Veigar!" Lulu called out to the empty alleys.

It took a Lux bit more effort before she was able to catch up to Lulu. She flew low to the ground like how Lulu was. Lux called out to the yordle, just barely distracting her enough to get her attention. "Slow down!"

Lulu did, she was breathing heavily from flying with all her might. "I can't find him!"

Lux held her shoulder forcing her to stop and calm down. "Take a breath. You're running around without thinking. Let's fly higher and see if we can spot him in the air."

Lulu nodded and held up her staff. She shot upward, followed closely by Lux. As they climbed higher and higher Lulu was able to see the layout of the streets below. The streets spread out like a spiderweb, up here she noticed there was a lot more alleys and backstreets than she originally thought. Most of the houses seemed to be connected through these backstreets while the more commercial stores and apartment complexes were on the outermost side connected by the main streets. Even with the new vantage point Lulu couldn't spot Veigar, it was like he vanished.

...

There was silence as Lux allowed Lulu to do her searching. The Pink Star Guardian always kept an eye on the dorm building, waiting for something to happened. Nothing did.

After enough time had passed for Lulu to give in that she had lost sight of her friend, Lux lead her back to the dorm. They landed softly on the window sill and Lulu sullenly moved to sit at her bed. Lux instead looked to her fellow guardians. They were frozen alright, not like how she thought they were. She pictured them encased in ice. This was like they were just playing game of 'Red Light Green Light'. Janna was crouched down on one knee, holding her stomach in pain. Poppy was braced and had her hammer up defensively. Malzahar on the other hand was toppled over like a misused action figure. Lux was about to step closer when she noticed the purple haze surrounding everyone. She figured it was the cause of everyone's stasis. Tentatively she used her baton and prodded Janna in the back. Lucky for Lux she wasn't trapped in stasis right then and there. What it did prove was that what was in the purple haze needed to be fully in it to be trapped.

Taking a deep breath Lux used a low strength singularity to push Janna out of her confinement. Janna gasped and staggered back to her feet. "Thank you…" She said after taking a few more deep breaths. Being frozen like that for expended amount of time made it feel like she was suffocating.

Lux gave a nod and did the same for Poppy. Poppy didn't gasp for air, instead she let out a long curse. She groaned and flexed her aching muscles, her arms and legs were passed asleep and were more liked comatosed.

Lux stopped and stared at Malzahar. She made no move to help him out.

Janna stepped over to her and sighed, "We'll have to get him out. He's the only one who knows what that book is and we need him to talk."

"I thought you knew what that book was." Poppy said stepping over to join them.

"Only vague details I got from a previous life. I know it's dangerous and shouldn't be left in the hands of someone who would misuse it."

"Veigar would never…" Lulu trailed off. For the first time they noticed Lulu sulking on her bed, Pix snuggled tightly in her arms. Her appearance in her guardian uniform took them by surprise. "We're going to save him right?" She asked, again surprising them

Janna and Poppy both looked over to Lux, they had only a partial idea of what happened. Veigar had stopped them before they could do anything, they assumed Lux knew more. But she was just as clueless. Once again she was tailing behind because she was too busy hanging out with her friends. What can she say though. There was someone in need and they had a duty to help.

"Of course, we just have to figure out what to do with this jerk first…"

"...I have an idea." Poppy raised up her hammer to make a point.

Apparently Lulu took offense to the very idea. "NO!" She got up to her feet, standing on her bed so she could look at all of them in the eye. "Aren't you the good guys!? Good guys don't kill..."

Janna was about to argue that it was for the greater good when Lux stepped in. "Yes we are and you're right. As much as I don't like it, he still might be useful. He knew about the book and that could be helpful to saving Veigar. For now we'll keep him captive" Lux looked over to Janna, who nodded reluctantly, then looked back to Lulu. "We save everyone we can, that is our duty. Protect the world from the Void." Lux didn't say it right there, but she wanted to agree with Janna and Poppy. That wasn't what Lulu needed though.

"So what do we do with him then?" Poppy asked.

It was quiet as everyone thought of an answer.

Janna finally spoke up after an uncomfortable amount of time, "...Lulu, if I remember correctly, you have transfiguration magic don't you? The kind that can nullify another person's magical abilities."

"Yeah, I turned him into a squirrel before." Lulu said quickly getting what Janna was leading up to.

"How long do you think you can keep doing that?"

Lulu just smiled.

* * *

Ezreal stepped out of the train station. He frowned when he caught his reflection in the train's window. There was a big bright neon purple splotch on his shirt, dead center on his chest. Jinx was less than helpful, when he asked about Lux she only replied by spraying paint onto him. He really liked this shirt too, it wasn't really limited edition like his other ones, but this one had sentimental value attached. It was his first convention shirt.

He sighed. That wasn't the main reason he was bummed out. He hadn't found a single trace of Lux. She didn't even pick up her cellphone when he called her. She usually answer within a single ring. Sure he chalked it up to her being too busy with Janna, but that was optimism talking. How could she be talking to Janna if she couldn't even get to her friend without taking the train? He hefted Lux's bag in his hand, adjusting the grip so it was neatly tucked under his arm. He hadn't called Jayce or Caitlyn either, no doubt they would berate him for his screw up. He was in no mood to hear them.

After almost a full afternoon running up and down Piltover looking for Lux, he fell back to his last resort. He knew it wasn't likely, but he was making his way to Lux's dorm building, hoping she would be waiting there. This was his last resort because he knew she was dorming it in one of the two co-ed buildings, where her brother was also staying. It had stricter rules and a shorter curfew than the others, and Ezreal half expected Lux was only allowed to stay there because her brother was there to watch over her. Ezreal really didn't want to run into Garen if Lux wasn't around. He would have to explain that Lux forgot her bag and was still out in the city.

He turned the corner off the main street and went down to where the dorm would be. He looked up and caught sight of the Star Guardian flying through the sky. "Whoa no way."

Ezreal picked up the paced and followed after her. She was moving in the same direction as him. He skidded to a halt when he notice her dip behind a building. It looked like she just flew down into an alley. Ezreal slung Lux's bag around his shoulder and fumbled for his phone. He had to get a shot of the guardian. He rounded the corner in time to see her land. Quickly ducking behind dumpster to hide as she looked around. When she turned back, Ezreal peeked out phone already recording.

Bright light momentarily blinded him, he kept his mouth shut so he wouldn't give himself away. When the light faded Lux was standing there sullenly. She said something under her breath and kicked a can littering the alley. She stopped and took a deep breath, calming herself down. Ezreal was stunned and almost didn't duck behind the dumpster quick enough when Lux turned around. He army crawled under the dumpster so she couldn't catch him as she walked by.

"Next time I won't be so slow…" She muttered to herself.

Ezreal could only guess what she meant by that. Once she was gone he crawled out from underneath the dumpster. He stared down at his phone, the recording showed the Star Guardian transforming back into Lux…

He can't share this, or even keep it. Without hesitation he deleted the recording. If Lux was keeping her identity secret, then she must have a good reason to. So as her friend he will keep her secret too.

Could he even tell her that he know?

Oh right, her bag. Ezreal looked down at Lux's bag and saw the stains on it from his dumpster crawl. _Aww dammit._

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap! Were almost done with Lulu's arc. Lulu and Veigar are my two personal favorites characters, and yet I get the writer's block while writing their chapter. How Ironic. Fingers cross this block passes soon. As always let me know what you all think.

Also from now on I'll be answering people's questions down here. Now with a bit more format to it! And if anyone else has more questions they would like answered, go ahead and leave a review or PM me. I could care less as either would be answered here at the bottom.

Valguienmas1 - It would really depend on the champion themselves. Of course the more humanoid champs can be written off as a more extreme transformation or something similar. They might even just appear as humans if I can write it off (Kayle was mentioned off handedly as the Vice Principal of Valoran High, and Morgana is running Sinnful Succulence in Noxus). While the other less humanoid champs like the one you mentioned (Bard, Ivern, Tham, and Kindred) would have to be taken by a case by case basis. Sometime they might actually just be written in as just another human, or they can actually be written as how their lore tells their story. Kindred for example can be used fully as her lore intended, as this world's version of the grim reaper. But who knows really. (I do, but I won't tell you)

See you all soon (hopefully). Love you, bye.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hey everyone, I'm back after so so so long. It's been, whoa, 3 months since I updated. I'm sorry that it took me so long guys. To be quite honest I temporarily fell out of love with this story a week after my last update. Partly because of the writers block and partly because I started binge watching netflix and got distracted. But once I started writing again, slowly at first, I found inspiration to finish this arc.

No promises that the next update won't take a few months, but it _will_ eventually come.

Anyways that's enough of me rambling, I'll stop stalling and you can get on with reading the next chapter.

That's all for now, on with the show~!

* * *

The weekend passed too quickly for Lux. Little had happened after Veigar ran off with Mejai's Tome, he had simply disappeared. Lux and Lulu scouted the city on sunday and found no trace of him. That worried the little yordle, her best friend was out there and in trouble. Poppy could do little to console Lulu, small reassurances would do nothing to lift her mood. Janna had kept herself busy trying to figure out a way to get Malzahar to talk. But whenever Lulu dropped the spell keeping him constricted to a transfigured form, a weird puffer fish with bulging eyes at the time, he would try to escape or retaliate. For now Janna would keep him prisoner, better him kept under their thumb than free roaming the city.

Lux walked up the street that lead to her school. Beyond the other's concerns she had her own. Again she was out of the fight when it mattered, too far away from her friends and unable to help. That was the second time it happened. With a sigh Lux trudged forward.

"Hey wassup." Poppy said, suddenly by Lux's side.

Lux jerked away in surprised.

"Whoa miss jumpy, calm down."

"Sorry, I was caught up in my own head."

"Eh, that's fine. Lulu get's that way too, always thinking of something and getting lost in thought..." Poppy sighed. "She's not really taking this whole Veigar situation lightly. She's been getting this vacant look in her eyes a lot..."

"I would think so, they are really close. She must be worried beyond belief for him."

The two came to the school gate where they found both Janna and Lulu. Janna waved a small hello, while Lulu didn't even notice them. She was too busy looking up and down the street. Her head swiveling from side to side looking for a familiar face. It wasn't like Veigar to miss school. He was practically top of the class, if there was one thing he could brag about it was his intellect. What better way to show that off than at school?

"Hey Luu." Poppy said, walking right up to her friend. Lulu only ignored her, her eyes fixed on the last of the students coming to school. Poppy frowned, eyes shifting over to Janna.

Janna sighed, "Veigar hasn't shown up yet."

Her words made Lux frown too. "Come on girls, we need to get inside before they close the gate." Lux said, placing a hand onto Lulu's shoulder. Lulu resisted, before giving in and allowing herself to be guided inside.

…

Janna walked to her class, pausing momentarily in front of class 3-C. She took in a big breath of air before sliding the door open. Ala'aldeen wasn't here, his desk was empty and was currently being commandeered by another student who sat on atop it carelessly. Janna looked around the room and couldn't spot who she was looking for. She was being foolish. Why would he even be here? After what had happened at the cafe Janna would be surprised if he would even want to talk to her. Sighing, she turned and walked to her own classroom.

It was no good keeping this to herself, she should talk to Lux. Even if she only lends an ear to listen.

…

Lux and Poppy lead Lulu to her classroom. Their little companion spirits still remained low. They slid open the door for her and she walked inside. She didn't see her friend, his seat empty. The only thing there was his left over text books he hadn't taken back to his dorm. What was waiting was Taliyah, in the classroom's corner the spikey haired girl noticed Lulu without Veigar. Ever since the small promise she made with Lulu to cover for Veigar's presence in the girl's dorm fell through little rumors floated about what happened to the two yordles over the weekend. Conclusions were jumped to and soon before Lulu could stop them, she was surrounded with students asking her questions.

Poppy pushed people off, her overprotective temper flaring as she noticed how uncomfortable everyone was making Lulu. "Back off guys." The white haired yordle glared at Taliyah, who started the whole thing.

The girl looked away sheepishly. She rubbed her hands together nervously as she answered. "W-well. A couple of us were sorta… kinda.. worried about Veigar. Lulu and him were jumped over the weekend and he wasn't looking too well… and well…" She trailed off, not wanting to freely admit that the class was genuinely worried for the annoying yordle.

Lux stepped forward, "He's fine, resting back home." She said with a barest hint of lying. No one seemed to notice though. Most knew Lux to be the responsible studious girl. So they believed her easily.

"I didn't see him come back to the dorm house…" Kennen said from Lux's side. That kid moved unexpectedly fast sometimes. It surprised Lux and even Poppy who stood at about his height. "I have the room right across from him and he always slams his door shut when he comes back. I didn't hear a thing since Friday."

Something clicked in Lulu's mind, and a bit of a sparkle returned to her eyes. "Nnnope, he is just resting back home. At his home-home. His parents were super worried after our run in with those punks." She rested her hand on her chest, "I'm going to visit him at his house after school. To check up on him." Lux and Poppy caught the subtle wink Lulu threw before she sat down at her desk.

The three guardians smiled at one another. It was their best idea of where to start. Everyone took that as most they'll ever get out of the trio and left. Lux only lingered for a second more to tell Lulu to meet her at the Lit Club's room after all the other clubs have ended.

* * *

Veigar ran a finger across his old home's kitchen counter. Dust accumulated on his fingertip as he lifted it up to his face. He sighed as he looked around the small empty house. The lights were off, Veigar had yet to turn them on, for some reason he hoped to find them lit when he returned. Instead he found the familiar house still dark. Every light and lamp was dull and covered in a layer of dust. The only light was coming through the windows, bathing the room with a pale morning sunshine. The sunlight did little to bring warmth in the home, all it did was accent the emptiness around Veigar. Not one hair out of place since he left. It was only a few months in actuality, but to the black furred yordle it felt like years. Seeing his home like this made his stomach turn. There wasn't even any snacks in the cupboards to help the uneasy feeling.

He walked solemnly over to his house phone. Even though the landline was rarely used Veigar's dad liked to keep it just in case someone tried to contact him and used the wrong number, then at least whoever that was could leave a message.

There was twenty-three unheard messages. _Why even have this stupid thing…_ Veigar thought to himself. _Of course dad didn't clear them out, he's barely around anyways._

Veigar grit his teeth and threw Mejai's tome at that bitter thought. Nothing, not one visit, call, or even a text. His job was clearly more important than his son. Hell, he didn't come home to congratulate him when he was accepted to Valoran High. The best he got was a cake, which at least was homemade.

He sighed once again taking a short tour around his home, stopping to slump into the living room's couch. He held no real grudge against his parents being too busy. Just disappointment. Disappointment that when he wanted them to be around the most they weren't there. His dad traveled too much and his mom practically lived at her work. What little time he spent with his family was treasured. Who he really despised was everyone in that stupid school.

Veigar looked across his living room and out the window. Overlooking the small houses around it was his middle school, Black Rose Academy. A fancy name for such a vile pit. The building was unassuming among the surrounding buildings. If it wasn't for the small sign built into the squat brick fence it would have been thought of just another office building or even a weird apartment complex. In reality it was just a hole in the wall for those unable to join Noxus' elite schooling.

An ugly sneer spread across Veigar's face as memories of his time at Black Rose resurfaced. He turned away from the window so he wouldn't have to look at the building anymore. He fell onto his back and sank deeper into the couch. He stared up at the ceiling, a bit of dust highlighted by the sunlight filtered past his eyes as his vision soon faded and he fell asleep.

* * *

Ezreal sat next to Jayce during club like they always did. Jayce playing the latest episode of his current favorite anime on their tiny tv that sat snug on the shelf, many figures surrounding the screen and decorating the rest of the shelf. The blond boy couldn't focus on the anime though, his imagination kept wandering over to Lux. The events of the weekend were still fresh in his head. The light bending around her and transforming her was unmistakable. There was no way around it. Lux was the Star Guardian. And what he read on Ahri's tumblr, there was a massive fight at the girl's dorm house, something Lux most likely took part of. So many little hints seemed obvious now. Lux always dipping out of her club, or those times she had to leave early when they hung out. And that time at the gym, where he never saw the Guardian and Lux in the same place...

There was a stab of pain as Jayce elbowed him in the rib. "You missed the ending."

"Uh, what?" Ezreal sputtered. He looked over to the screen where it showed a large mecha standing solemnly over its destroyed adversary. The slow crawl of the credits starting as a revisioned theme song played over the scene. Beside the screen was the Star Guardian figure they bought and Ezreal's gaze slowly drifted over to it. He shook his head, "Sorry, man. I got lost in my head…"

"Lux again?" Jayce asked off-handedly as he went to his laptop to unplug it from the tv and put it away.

"Yeah… I-I mean." Ezreal sputtered off too quickly.

"Dude, it's cool." Jayce waved off Ezreal's stutters. "C'mon do you really want to be an anime cliche, and be the protag who can't admit their feelings?"

Not exactly what Ezreal was thinking. It was close enough though. It was obvious he had some feelings for her. Just more complicated feelings now that he knew who she really was. "Fine, yeah you're right, but-"

"Okay cool, so I have a plan." Jayce stood up and packed away his laptop into his bag. Ignoring whatever Ezreal was gonna say next. Instantly Ezreal was skeptical of whatever plan Jayce cobbled together, he closed his mouth shut and watched his friend fiddle with his bag. "I'm gonna set you up on a date with her."

"I'm pretty sure I don't need your help with that." Ezreal crossed his arms. Really what was Jayce gonna do that Ezreal couldn't do himself. By Ezreal's count, Jayce struck out with nearly every girl in school.

"Really?" This time it was Jayce who crossed his arms, one eyebrow raised skeptically. "Alright, go right ahead and prove it."

"Wh-what, like right now?"

"Yeah, clubs should be ending right now. We can catch her before she leaves, and then you can ask her out while you walk her back to her dorm." Jayce slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way out of their club.

"Whoa, hold on there." Ezreal chased after his friend who was determined to either help Ezreal or just humiliate him.

Off in the corner, Rumble let out a sigh of relief and rolled his eyes at his clubmates antics. He only joined so he could build his models in piece, and the Piltover duo have been making it really hard lately to concentrate. At least they were gone now.

…

"So I will go with Janna, while Poppy and Lulu watch over Malzahar." Lux said as she scanned her eyes from guardian to guardian. Right after the clubs had ended they all regrouped to figure out their next move. Lulu was certain Veigar was back at his parents house. From how Lulu described how irrational Veigar was acting, he carried a large chip on his shoulder since middle school. Unlike the other yordles attending Valoran High, he attended school in Noxus and it hadn't been kind to him.

"That's not FAIR." Lulu pouted, rising out of her seat and practically atop of the table.

"Luu," Poppy put an had on Lulu's shoulder, easing her friend back down into her seat. Hoping she would calm down. "You're the only one keeping Malzahar polymorphed. We can't let you get caught in the crossfire cause if something happens to you we lose our edge over him."

"B-but Veigar is MY friend." Lulu said, her ears drooping dramatically. She pulled her bag onto her lap. Inside, a jar with some green slim sloshed around, Malzahar's current and most disorienting form. Even though he was currently without his magic (and a solid body for that matter) he kept trying to break free and Lulu could feel it. It made her sigh, the others were right of course. Malzahar needed to be kept powerless, in the long run his connection to the Void posed a higher threat than the magic Veigar was controlling. And if Malzahar could turn Veigar like he did to others, than- Lulu shuddered at the thought.

"We won't hurt him, we only have to get the book away from him." Janna reassured their youngest member.

It was quiet for a moment as Lulu hung her head. She nodded after a quiet second of thought. "Okay..."

Poppy gave Lulu a one arm hug and she looked to Lux and Janna. "So when you do find him, what are you going to do about those stunning rings of his? We were all super close, so we don't know his reach with it. If both of you get trapped then it's game over."

Janna tapped her chin, thinking about how a single spell of Veigar's posed such a threat. "We'll have to keep our distance from each other. So that-"

Before they could continue they heard two familiar voices arguing in the hallway. Lux perked up when she noticed who it was. The other guardians gave her a look and she only returned a confused shrug. She didn't have anything planned with Ezreal and Jayce today, and she was sure she hadn't forgotten anything. The door slid open and there stood Jayce and Ezreal, one stood with a cheesy grin while the other was beet red. Jayce's eyes went from girl to girl, wondering what Lulu and Poppy were doing here.

"What? Did I interrupt a secret meeting or something?" He asked as a joke.

Ezreal's eyes widened, he looked over to Lux who caught his stare. He coughed nervously and quickly looked away.

There was a moment's pause as the two boys looked around the room, they could feel the tension in the air. This was certainly not the right time to be here. Lulu had her face down looking away from everyone and Poppy looked like she was about to rip them a new one for coming unannounced. Jayce recovered slightly and spoke up first. "I-is uh this a bad time?"

Lux stood up, waving the other down so she can talk to them quietly. She moved to the door frame, making the two boys back peddle in the hallway. "It kind of is." Lux said softly. She wasn't entirely sure why they were here. And she was actually kind of wishing they hadn't shown up. In the back of Lux's mind, she was still feeling conflicted for putting her friendship with Ezreal and Jayce above being a Star Guardian. She didn't want the two to mix any further than it already had. "Is something up?"

Jayce let out a long breath, "Uh, wow um. Ezreal wanted to ask you something-" There was a dirty look pointed in Jayce's direction, which he ignored, "but uh…"

"No, no. Actually it's good you guys came." Lux said suddenly. She gave a single glance inside the room, mouthing to Janna that she'll be back shortly. Janna nodded, resuming the conversation she was having only a moment again. Only this time much quieter. Lux pushed the guys back further into the hallway, closing the door behind her as she did so. She really wanted to talk to Janna about this before she made this decision. But seems like it was made for her. She couldn't have Ezreal and Jayce butting into her life as the Star Guardian. "I wanted, um-. Some stuff sorta came up with my parents… I won't be able to hang out with you guys for a bit. Maybe for a long while actually."

Ezreal noticed Lux bite her lip as she spoke. Whenever she did that it was right before she made up an excuse to ditch out on them. Now it made sense that she was lying to cover her tracks to go off to save the city. He looked down to the floor, he sort of saw this coming. Though he had expected it to be much later. She couldn't balance her school life and her heroic life at the same time. All the anime Ezreal watched made it look so easy. Unlike those anime, he'll take it in stride compared to the supporting cast. Ezreal didn't want to hinder Lux ant further than he must already had. Looking back up, Ezreal gave Lux a weak smile. "Hey it's cool... Family comes first."

At his words Lux smiled, glad that he was so understanding. "When I can, we can go back to Piltover again. My treat."

Ezreal nodded, accepting the promise to hang out later. Whenever that time came.

Jayce raised an eyebrow at Ezreal, he coughed into his hand and subtly nudge the shorter boy with his elbow. "Uh, you still have some time before that thing with your parents comes up though, right?"

Lux eyes drooped, and Ezreal not so subtly elbowed Jayce back. "Ignore him… I'll catch you later Lux."

Before Jayce can protest Ezreal pulled him away by the arm. Racing back down the hallway just as Lux said her own goodbye. As soon as they fell out of earshot Ezreal let go and started to make his way down the stairwell. "Dude, I don't want to hear it." He desperately wanted to cut off the argument that was surely going to happen before it started.

"Can I at least get a reason why you just bailed?" Jayce asked as he caught up with his friend.

"Uh, yeah. Sorta." Ezreal said, walking back to their club room.

Lux opened the door and closed it behind her. Her head dipped and she sighed, glad everything went smoothly, albeit unexpectedly. When she looked up she found the girls already packing their things. They were getting ready to head out. Without getting confirmation, Lux walked over to her own bag and scooped it up. As she checked her stuff she said aloud, "Ezreal and Jayce are still probably lingering around, we'll have to go the rooftop and fly from there."

Poppy groaned at that, she still hadn't learned to fly consistently. What little training she got done over the weekend only taught her so much. She knew now how to glide with considerable control, able to take sharp turns and if she had to she was able to turn around on a dime. Which was good if she had some altitude to start with, not so much if she was stuck on the street.

Lulu also grimaced, she had as much skill as Poppy when it came to flying. Unlike her though she had much more speed and could change altitude if she wanted. Control on the other hand was out the window. Lulu didn't fly so much as she was dragged behind her staff. During one outing scouting the city for Veigar, she slammed into the side of a building because she couldn't turn hard enough.

"Poppy and Lulu agreed to head off to the junkyard we've been using to train at. While we head to Veigar's house." Janna said, she stepped over to the door and opened it. Peeking around the frame to make sure the coast was clear. Seeing nothing she motioned for the others to head out.

Lux nodded to Janna. She turned to Poppy and Lulu as she fell into step next to Janna in the hall. "If anything come up, call us. And we'll keep you informed too."

The two yordles nodded back.

They quickly found themselves atop the roof, their feet barely hanging over the edge. Lux and Janna took to the sky easily, their bodies transforming mid jump. Turning around only to notice how hesitant Poppy and Lulu were, Lux and Janna paused. A second later, Poppy took in a deep breath and jumped off too, Lulu not too far behind. They transformed and started to glide away.

"Good luck girls." Lux called out to their retreating forms. Lulu waved back, and that was all Lux needed. She looked over to Janna and without a word they started to fly towards the Bandle City/Noxus border.

* * *

Veigar's eyes flutter open abruptly. He groaned as he forced himself to sit up. Whatever dream he had fading quickly as it came. The only things he could remember was Lulu looking at him sadly. That image burned inside his mind. He shook the feelings away. He knew he was right. He had to be.

Kicking his legs off the couch he saw the magical book where he left it. It was open and sprawled on the carpet floor. The pulse he felt from it still sent a rush through his veins, even if he only laid his eyes on it. Slowly, more resigned to the grasp of power than he was before his dream, he pushed himself off the couch and walked over to where the book lay. He picked it up and flipped through it. The few pages with spells and his knowledge of witchcraft allowed him to cast incredible magic. It was draining though. After the few spells he slung at the guardians and that robe asshole were done he felt like he ran marathon. He was lucky to get away that time. If he wanted his plan to go without a hitch than he'll have to be quick and efficient.

Easier said than done when he still didn't entirely know the limits of his powers. But there was no backing out now.

He spared one last glance out of the window, the evening sun now glaring on Black Rose's windows. His eyes squinted as he stared. With a sigh he turned to his door and pushed it open. There wasn't anyone on littering the sidewalk, most who lived here didn't have kids his age, so he didn't expect to see anyone coming home at this time. All the better for him, he rather keep his identity secret until he chooses to reveal it. With his free hand he lowered his blue cap, obscuring his face. For extra measure he also pulled his hood up, pulling the ties at the neck tight so only his eyes were noticeable. His glowing yellow eyes.

…

Janna looked over to Lux, the wind was whipping their hair about erratically as they flew. Her fellow guardian was looking more determined than usual. More was on her friends mind than she let on. The only way to know more was to ask. "Lux?"

Janna's question pulled Lux from her train of thought. She looked around and noticed she had accidentally sunk lower than she realised. Putting a bit more effort, Lux raised to the same altitude as her friend. Thankfully she was getting better and better at flying, and now can fly just as long as Janna. "Sorry, drifted in thought for a second there."

"Mind sharing what is on your mind." Janna started slow. "You looked, hm, distracted ever since our meeting."

Lux look to Janna then to the city below rushing past her. She sighed and readjusted her gaze back to the horizon. "I told Ezreal I won't be hanging out with him anymore." She paused for a second. "Actually just for now, maybe sometime in the future we can still hangout. It's just. It's just I don't know when that will be or if ever."

Janna felt for Lux, this hit a lot closer than the younger girl knew. If there was a good a time as any, Janna decided to share her own distress. "I know we have more pressing matters to focus on, but I want to tell you this now." Her hands tightened a bit on her staff. Not exactly sure how to start. "I was in a similar position, no actually, the exact position you are in now."

Lux looked over to Janna, not saying a word.

"I told you about my ex, at least vaguely." Janna continued. She looked to Lux, they both remembered the impromptu call Lux made to Janna. "We were always together. My memory is fuzzy on how long we were together before I awoke, but ever since then, guardianship had put a strain on our relationship. I've been getting bits and pieces here and there, there were many times I had to leave him behind to protect our world."

"So you broke up with him to focus on your duty." Lux said softly. It was easy for Lux to draw the conclusion. She just wished she liked where this conclusion was leading.

"I did." Janna's own voice soft. There was a long pause between the two guardians. Before Lux could say something Janna started once again. "I don't know if that was a good decision or not. And I don't know if your own decision should be the same as my own."

"Do you regret it?" She had to ask. Lux flew ahead a bit, so she could see Janna's reaction.

Janna met Lux's gaze for a brief moment, then her eyes fell down to the city below. The city of Valoran making way to the City of Bandle City. They were getting close, they only had to fly north for a little longer before they'll come upon Veigar's house. It was quiet again as Lux patiently waited for Janna's answer. "As much as any person is when they're unsure."

"That's not a straight answer." Lux slowed her flight, to not only come closer to Janna but to also slow their flight entirely. The edge of Bandle City was insight. If they wanted to finish their conversation it had to happen soon.

Janna landed on a building, taking a few steps away from Lux. She left her staff fall into the crook of her arm as her free hands hugged herself. Lux took a moment to notice this was the most vulnerable she has ever seen Janna. When she spoke it was a firm whisper. "Of course I do."

Lux felt a chill in the air, and she wasn't sure if it was because of how high up they were or Janna's powers.

"I don't want what I did to happen to you." Janna turned suddenly. "I told you before. Friendships outside this life is something to treasure. Something I found out too late. We are guardians, but that is not all who we are."

Lux smiled, a small one that emerged as Janna kept talking. Glad to hear Janna agreed to what Lux was subconsciously hoping to hear. It then dipped as she thought about how she let her fellow guardians down. "I don't want our duty to fall to the wayside, I was out of the fight two times in a row. Leaving you to fend for yourself."

"We aren't alone anymore. Poppy and Lulu are with us now, and they won't be the last either. You have to put more faith in us."

The smile returned, more genuine this time. "Alright." Lux tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "Maybe I jumped the gun with Ezreal. I'll keep in touch with him just have him at arm's length. I still feel like I had my priorities mixed up."

Janna just returned a knowing smile that colored Lux's cheeks. She didn't say anything, knowing Lux might have trouble keeping her distance. After a second to recompose themselves they took to the sky once again. Janna was glad she was able to clear Lux's mind, and she was surprised to find her own mind clearing. She still had a lot to work through with Ala'aldeen, but admitting that she regretted her choice out loud made her realise something. She still had feelings for him after all.

...

Veigar looked up at the building. It was after school, that much he could tell. All the lights were off and the gate was closed. There was even a heavy padded lock securing the gate shut. Seems he'd wouldn't be able to sneak in as easily as he thought. With the bars too narrow and the gate too tall, Veigar needed to find an alternative route inside. Quickly he flipped to the page describing a very powerful and destructive spell, one that would rain dark matter from the sky. He read the spell, then twice again to make sure he understood it. The book did its best to convey the information, channeling it into his mind as he read the words. Closing the book, Veigar raised a hand and channeled the magical energy briefly before directing it to the gate in front of him. For a second it looked like he had miscast the spell, leaving no apparent effect.

Then he saw it. There was a very small twinkle in the air before him, a signal to what was to come. When it faded there was a second of silence then a loud roar erupted from above him. A combination of a large fire and woosh of air. A shadow descended above the gate, making Veigar take a few steps back. He barely caught sight of it before it hit and even then he wasn't entirely sure what it was. Maybe a blue blob of harden magic, or maybe it really was a comet of dark matter. What he was sure about was the destruction left in its wake. The gate had a giant hole punched through it. All around was twisted metal and charred earth. The pavement that was already cracked before was now dust. The only remnant of the magical attack was a trail of purple smoke quickly fading out of existence. It took a second for Veigar to notice that his ears had popped, and there was a small ringing. Next time he'll want to get more clear, to save damaging his hearing and maybe dial back how much power he put into the spell.

Looking around, no one seemed to have noticed the disturbance. Something that loud though would have definitely drawn attention if he lingered too long. Veigar pushed his way further inside. He won't use this spell to help open the doors, something smaller would work just fine.

…

Lux and Janna landed gently next to the squat building. This one a duplicate to all the surrounding buildings, except with blue accents around the door and windows. The address on the front matched the one Lulu told them. It was moderately sized, the backyard was quite spacious and second floor had a balcony that was large enough to function as a patio. To be honest, Lux didn't expect Veigar's family to have such a nice, if a little small, house. Especially considering where he went to middle school.

As Lux took in the house, Janna tried the door. As expected it was locked. Quickly Janna hopped a couple feet into the air and landed onto the balcony/patio. She tried the sliding door and to her surprise it slid open.

Lux was right next to Janna as the door slid open. She held Janna's shoulder, stopping her upperclassman from entering right away. "Wait, this is breaking and entering isn't it?"

"It's fine so long as we don't cause any trouble." Janna said as she pushed forward. Ignoring the upper floor and heading straight downstairs.

The whole house was dark. The waning sunlight was doing a poor job of lighting the house. As the two stepped inside they noticed something very quickly. The place was musty. Not dirty per se, everything was clean in the sense that everything was put away. But the whole house had a layer of dust on all the furniture and countertops. When Lux made her way into the kitchen she saw there was only one thing out of place. A single line on the countertop where someone wiped the dust clean. "Well he was certainly here. There's a clean spot in the dust." Lux said from her side in the kitchen.

Janna had her spirit guardian sniff around the living room. Zephyr circled around the couch where there was still a crease in the cushion. "From what Zephyr is telling me, he left only recently." Janna held an arm out and Zephyr jumped up onto it. "We just missed him."

Lux rubbed her chin as she thought. _Where could he have gone?_

The sudden explosion from outside grabbed their attention instantly. The two guardians shared only the briefest of glances before taking off out of the house and into the sky. Once airborne they didn't need to fly that far to see the source of the explosion. The small school wedge among the other buildings had its windows blown out and a thin trail of purple smoke trailed out of it. There was another explosion, then another. Both blowing out more windows, but originating from the same spot.

Lux sped forward with Janna closely behind.

They came in high, looking at the school from far above. Below they caught sight of some passersby getting curious to what was going on. Janna veered off to discourage the person from coming any closer, delaying her arrival for only a second. Lux on the other hand got closer to the window. It was part of their plan to stay separate, in case either of them gets hit by Veigar's stunning spell. Still Lux found herself nervous, if she wasn't careful he could get the jump on her and she can wind up trapped. Her grasp on her baton tightened as she lowered herself into view. She peered inside and was taken back at what she saw.

Sitting in the middle of the empty classroom was Veigar. His head was down on the desk, his hands full of fur as he rubbed his head. His blue baseball cap and the tome was next to him. If Lux looked close enough she could see the graffiti scratched into his seat and desk. A lot of it was unkind and harsh words, mocking the poor desk owner. Looking away she could see the aftermath of the blasts of magic Veigar bombarded the classroom with. Chairs and desks were scattered, the lockers in the back had toppled over and their contents sprawled across the floor, and the podium the teacher used was nothing but splinters. When Lux's eyes looked onto the blackboard she saw the large message.

It was a farewell message of sorts. The school had closed only months prior and all that was left was this message and what few school supplies people forgot. Lux heart sank as she heard the soft muffled sob from Veigar.

She wanted to approach him, to console him somehow. But first she needed to get the book away from him. Carefully she floated closer to the yordle. When her feet touched the ground the crackle of glass made Lux stiffen. The glass shards from the window littered the floor beneath her.

Veigar shot up out of his seat and away from the guardian, grabbing hold of the book and his hat in one swift motion. He stared at the guardian, tears in the corners of his eyes. When she made no move against him he looked at his feet, unable to keep eye contact with those sympathetic eyes. He clenched his eyes and fists into tight balls and yelled "It's not FAIR!" Lux raised her baton, fearing he would strike at that moment. Instead he kept talking. "I-I had to attend this stupid school for years! An-and only AFTER I graduate does the place get shut down for negligence. It's just not FAIR!" He built up a ball of baelful magic so fast that Lux missed his wind up. She could only flinch as he shot it at the blackboard, shattering it and knocking it loose from the wall.

"Veigar stop." Lux said, trying to calm the yordle down. She held her baton up, ready to shield herself if necessary this time. "Look, it's still not too late to-" Lux raised her shield in time to see the next magic bolt to dissipate against her defenses.

"I want what's fair!" Veigar argued back.

"What you want is revenge! Do you think Lulu would like that?" Lux said.

Her words hit Veigar hard. His grip on the book tightened, his knuckles turning white under his fur. "Lulu- Lulu will agree with me. She, she knows I'm right. I am right." His dream from the afternoon came back to him. He didn't know if he was convincing Lux or himself at this point. He shook off the thought as quickly as it came. The pulse of power emanating from the book reminded him that he wasn't the weak know-it-all kid that got stuck in the wrong school anymore. "Lulu's just too nice. It wasn't right for those other kids to bully her. I'm doing this for both of us." His gaze hardened as he locked eyes with the Star Guardian.

* * *

Poppy hopped the fence to the junkyard, carefully balancing the food in her arms. Sure they were guarding a psycho and she should be ever vigilant, but she couldn't fight evil on an empty stomach if anything were to actually happen. For awhile all Poppy did was stand on the sideline as Lulu refreshed her spell to keep their captive locked in polymorphed state. When she got hungry enough she opted to run to the closest convenience store and grab them dinner, already transformed back into her school uniform as soon as the words left her mouth. Rounding the corner on her return Poppy saw Lulu pacing back and forth in her guardian form, the little creature that used to be her plushie following her footsteps closely, and funnily enough her staff also bounced around following its owner.

"Got the food." Poppy called out to grab her friend's attention.

Lulu perked up from the mention of food and she needed something to distract herself from worrying. Looked like she'll be able to settle her empty stomach while she was at it. She walked over to Poppy to help handle the load, grabbing one of the bags and checking the contents inside.

"It's nothing special, just cheap-o convenience store dinner. Oh, they did have ice cream mochi left over, so I grabbed us a pair." Poppy reached inside the plastic bag and pulled free the small plastic container. It was still warm from when the clerk heated it up. Hopefully the heat from her meal didn't melt the mochi before it was time to eat them. They made their way to a makeshift table they made out of a car hood and placed their food atop of it. There at the center of the table was the jar of slime that was their prisoner. Poppy watched the gooey eyes trail after her, grimacing at their gaze. "Guh, can you stuff him somewhere else? I don't want to stare at him while we eat."

"Uh, yeah." Lulu put her own food down and looked about the deserted junkyard for the ideal spot to put Malzahar. Finding a stack of tires, Lulu picked up the jar and nestled it carefully between the rubber. "We should still keep it within sight, I can feel him still trying to break out of the spell."

"The spell is gonna hold though, right?" Poppy pulled the chopsticks apart with her teeth, getting ready to eat.

Lulu shrugged. "I can only tell when it's gonna wear off. Friday I was able to hold him for an hour at least between casts. Now I think it's down to ten minutes."

Food stopped just before Poppy's mouth. "Seriously? Why's it so short now?"

"I'm guessing the effects of the spell wears off more quickly the more I use it on the same person. It's diminishing returns." Lulu blew on her food. Cooling it down further before she took her first bite. "I think it's also partly because he's getting used to it. I'm getting worried that he is figuring the spell out and learning how to dispel it easier."

"Shit…" Poppy trailed off as her eyes wandered over to the jar resting only a few feet away from them. "Why didn't you say anything to Lux and Janna?"

Lulu's ears drooped. She stared momentarily at her food slightly guilty with her action. "I. Well. To be honest, I wanted them to help Veigar more than to keep Malzahar prisoner. And I thought that if they knew they would change their focus."

Poppy's mouth opened to retort. Then she took a second to choose her words more carefully and her face softened. "Luu… Of course we're going to help Veigar. No matter what happened. He's special to you and we'd do anything for a fellow guardian. That goes double for a friend." She smiled reassuringly then looked to the jar. "But you'll have to be straight with me." Silence hung in the air as Poppy asked, "How much longer can you keep him restrained?"

* * *

Lux fell hard into the floor. The dark matter striking the floor just inches from where she was. If it hadn't been for the roar of magic warning her of its impending collision she doubted she be able to dodge in time. That was exactly what Veigar wanted, the spell missed but forced Lux to move too close to Janna. She sprung to her feet, barely side stepping a blast of magic that struck through Janna.

Janna felt the wash of magic ripple through her, it ate through her shield this time as if it was tissue paper. Each strike seemed to make him stronger, even if the spell was blocked by either of their shields. She wobbled on her feet as she moved closer to Veigar. He was being smart. Whenever one guardian got close he'd put that stunning field around himself. It seemed like he could only sustain one at a time, so he saved it mainly for defense.

It frustrated Lux to no end. Every time she was able to pin him down with her binding light, he'd raise that field and halt their advance immediately. Lux surveyed their surroundings. When Janna first entered the classroom Veigar had already struck Lux with that ball of baleful fire he favored and was about to call down a small meteor. He only stopped when he noticed Janna, who was too slow on the draw as her torrent of wind slammed into the door he fled down. He kept himself indoors, the smaller confinements fit to his strength. His spells, from what they had seen, affected large areas. He had his go to, which shot in a straight line and went through whoever was struck, and his most destructive spell which called down a large explosion of magic. When trapped inside the halls and classrooms, neither Lux or Janna had enough room to maneuver. And what made it worse was that they needed to be conscious of each other's spell, if they weren't careful they could accidentally hit each other.

Janna flung another vortex at Veigar who moved farther down the hallway to avoid it. Closer to the stairwell.

That gave Lux an idea. She kept her voice low so Veigar couldn't hear. "Janna, I'll bait him into the stairwell, head out the window and down a floor. We can corner him if we time it right." Moving forward, placing Janna in the back line.

Janna nodded to Lux, "Alright sounds good. On your mark then." She summoned another whirlwind at her feet, yet this time aimed so it would shatter the glass window easing her exit.

Lux let out a breath. She watched Veigar very carefully, at the moment he had been fighting very defensibly, so Lux had an idea of what reaction he would take. His eyes were locked on her own, as she was the closest. Every now and then he'd glance to Janna. She needed to catch him while his eyes shifted back to her. Patiently she waited a single heartbeat.

At that moment he glanced to Janna then back to Lux. "Now!" She yelled. In an instant she let loose a singularity and dashed forward. Going wide so Veigar circled into the stairs. Just as she wanted. He was already ten steps down when she heard the tell tale sound of glass breaking behind her. She shot off a light binding spell, more to bait him further down the stairs. She missed but it sent him off balance enough to stumble the remaining steps. His back slammed against the wall, cornering himself between floors.

The steps leading back up was blocked by Lux and when Veigar looked down the other flight of stairs, he saw glass shards litter the floor as Janna came in through the window. Quickly he reoriented himself, evaluating his options. He growled under his breath and pushed hard against the magic that stirred inside him. He was getting tired, he was cautious with his spells but even with little use, each spell took a toll on him. This was a bad situation, he was cornered and he had to make a move or else. If he raised the stunning field he'd only delay the inevitable, they knew to keep their distance when it came up. Glancing from one guardian to the next he decided on a bolder option.

He moved a hand towards Lux and a ball of magic flew forth, he aimed at her feet and just as he expected she jumped, somersaulting over his spell with ease. Just as her body left the steps he summoned an event horizon at her flight of stairs. The purple haze filled the area with a pop, encircling the steps. Lux heard the sound before she saw it. When she rolled out of her somersault her eyes ment with nothing but purple haze. Once her feet landed on the bottom step she froze in place. Not wanting to chance it, Veigar moved downwards as soon as he saw Lux's feet hit the edge of the event. He called for dark matter to hit the edge of steps, this time where Janna was waiting. She lept back once she say the tell tale sparkle in the air. Which was good as he wanted her out of his way as he ran. If he did this right then-

The explosion of dark matter hit between Janna and Veigar, who timed it just so the spell cut off Janna from following after him. He felt the shockwave as it pushed on his heels. Glad that he figured out how long the delay was between the casting of the spell and when it struck.

That's when he felt the wind knock into his back and out of his lungs. _Dammit_. Janna outsmarted him. She had aimed her whirlwind down the hallway and lept in the opposite direction so he'd run directly into its path.

His legs flipped over his head and he saw the floor momentarily become the ceiling as he collided with the tiles below him. Or was it above? Veigar's head was spinning as he skidded to a halt. He used his hands to push himself up off the floor… he used both his hands. His eyes went wide when he noticed the book was no longer in his possession. He patted the ground around him when he noticed it was further down the hallway.

Veigar turned to look at Janna who locked eyes with him. They both made a mad dash to the book, Veigar had a head start and was getting closer to the book when he felt tiny claws run across his face. He cursed as Zephyr made his way into his hoodie, severely slowing him down. Janna whipped passed him, her speed increased by a self made tailwind. Fighting through the tiny pinpricks of claws, Veigar raised his hands and to his and Janna's complete amazement another event horizon popped into existence. Janna pushed herself faster, hoping to outrace the stunning field. Janna wasn't fast enough, a second too short as the event caught her in the midsection. She felt her breath stagnate in her lungs. Her eyes couldn't move as Veigar ran into her view and passed her. He tossed Zephyr aside when he passed through his own event, the tiny creature freezing in place like their master.

Casting so many spells was exhausting to the yordle, his run was now a staggered jog at best. He really needed to know how to cast these spells more efficiently, it be more helpful if he could conjure more than one event. _Shit_. He was careless. Veigar whipped around and noticed Lux just exiting through the window and flying alongside the school towards the book. Veigar pushed himself to sprint once again, lungs heaving at the effort.

The book was barely in his reach when the glass beside him shattered. He shielded himself from the shards as he stumbled away from the window. Roughly he crashed to the tiled floor and skidded to a stop on his hands and knees. Looking up Veigar saw Lux, breathing heavily herself, standing over the book. Her baton was pointed at him. Instinctively Veigar flinched inwardly. Bracing himself for the pain to come.

When nothing happened he cracked open an eye to see the Star Guardian staring at him with her face knit in a mixture of concern and exhaustion.

"Veigar" Lux said softly, still he flinched again as he heard his name. That made Lux lower her baton, trying desperately not to look imposing. "Veigar, I'm not going to hurt you anymore. All we wanted was the book."

Veigar tsk'd, clicking tongue against his teeth in disbelief.

Slowly Lux bent down and plucked the book off the ground. It burned in her hand, her righteous soul reeling at the touch of foul magic emanating within the pages. She ignored the pain. "What were you really hoping to accomplish? Did you really want to murder all your former classmates? Your teachers?"

Veigar took in a sharp breath, his mouth opening to retort. Then it shut, his eyes roamed down to his hands beneath him. "...No" He was quiet, voice filled with regret. He could feel his mind clearing, the thrum of power not so overwhelming now. Whatever magical prowess flowing through him was waning. Even the spell holding Janna faded, freeing the guardian who took in a gasping breaths. He fell back to sit cross legged in front of Lux. His hands coming up to wipe away the tears already forming and remove his hat. His eyes no longer glowed a menacing yellow. "I wanted... It sucked. Everything about this school sucked, from the teachers and the classmates and, and the whole place was just one day in hell one after the other. I wanted to have the last laugh was all, after all the times they, everyone, laughed at me…"

Lux threw a glance at Janna, telling her to not intervene. Janna nodded, lowering her own staff so that it lay in the crook of her arm. Lux stepped forward. Her baton shrank in size to a pen, leaving her hand free. She bent down so she could look Veigar on an even level. He still tried his best to scoot away. Losing his one source of leverage and power cowed the would be sorcerer. Lux pursed her lips, "I won't lie to you. I hadn't had the same experience as you so I won't be able to fully understand your pain." Gently she placed a hand on Veigar. "But all the same, I see your pain and as the Star Guardian I am bound to help those in need. Even if I'm far too late to make a difference. And," She smiled this time, "you and I both know another guardian willing to talk things out if you need to."

Veigar looked up at Lux then sheepishly turned away. "Is Lulu mad at me?"

"No. Of course she isn't. If anything she had been worried sick about you." Lux stood and let Veigar take her hand for him to help himself up.

Veigar blushed at her words, lucky for him he has a layer of black fur to hide everything. "I'm. I'm sorry." If anyone else had heard Veigar say those words, they would've lost a bet. Lux on the other hand only gave him a reassuring pat. Glad that Veigar was willing to back down so easily.

"It wasn't your fault. The book can corrupt anyone who holds it. Luckily I have some protection." She raised the book in her hand, wincing at the effort. "It still hurts though."

Janna came to their side now that everything was settled. "We should head back now. Make sure the girls know we were able to succeed. Lulu will be glad to hear it. And we'll also need to discuss what we should do with that book. We can't hide it, we run the risk of it falling into the wrong hands, and we cannot keep it, even our defenses against its magic has their limits."

"We'll figure out all that after we regroup." Lux said. She then turned to the yordle who had been standing quietly on the side. "Do you want a lift back?"

At that moment before Veigar could answer, Lux's phone rang out into the empty hall. The cheery pop song playing sending a shiver down the two guardians spines. There was no reason for the call unless something had come up…

* * *

Poppy waited with held breath. She was back in her transformed state, giant hammer held in a tight grip in one hand and cell phone in the other. Across from her was Lulu standing still in pure concentration, beads of sweat already dotting her forehead. Her face was clenched tight and her teeth grit as she pour her magical power into the jar in her hands. The jar that held Malzahar was a whir of motion. Even though his body was only slim he swirled about shaking his tiny prison. Lulu had to fight to keep him contained. He stopped momentarily and his body contorted and all of a sudden he was a squirrel again. Without pause, Malzahar took a second to right himself then started slamming his tiny furry shoulder against the glass.

After what felt like an eternity, Lux picked up. Poppy started yelling as soon as she heard Lux's hesitant answer, "YOU GOTTA GET BACK HERE!" Her sudden outburst almost knocked Lulu out of concentration. This time she lowered her voice to a strained hiss. "Malzahar is trying to break free. Lulu can't hold him for much longer."

A burst of power erupted from Malzahar, flinging Lulu back and sending the jar falling to the ground. Poppy dropped her phone and dove to the ground, catching the jar before it could shatter. Poppy held the jar under her arm as her other hand let go of her hammer and clamped down on the lid. There was no way she was letting him out of there. Lulu rose to her own feet and joined Poppy. Her hands glowed and she directed all her energy to Malzahar. He shifted forms once again, changing from a squirrel to a fish with bulging eyes. Her idea was to restrict his form to something that couldn't break free. Which was easier said than done, Malzahar is now retaining some of his magical potency even while he is transformed.

…

Without a word as soon as the line went dead Lux was in the air. Close behind was Janna who had taken Veigar by the arm. He would have yelped in surprise if we wasn't already on edge. The call was on speaker so he had heard everything. He could care less about his impromptu flight he wanted to get to Lulu's side as quickly as he wrapped his arms around Janna's neck, his face was pressed tightly in the crook of Janna's neck to protect himself from the harsh wind. Neither of them cared about the close proximity.

The wind rushed passed them, far harsher than their previous flight. They needed to push themselves, fly far faster than they ever had before. The wind stung Lux's eyes, even Janna who could control the element was having trouble keeping a protective shield up around her and Veigar.

There only saving grace was that Piltover was closer to Noxus/Bandle City than Valoran High was. It was going to be a quick short flight… one stressful quick short flight.

…

Around Poppy was the last remnants of the glass jar. The only thing now holding Malzahar was a smooth hubcap she tore off a car's tire. She pressed down on the metal bowl with all her strength, using the added weight of her giant hammer to give herself any sort of advantage. Even with her strength, the hubcap rumbled underneath. A testament to how much Malzahar wanted to break free.

Lulu was on a knee, one hand holding up the other as she poured more power into keeping her spell going. Poppy was counting on her to keep him contained, she couldn't fail.

Suddenly the ground around them warped, filling the area with a shallow pool of void energy. Static rain up the two yordles, almost paralyzing their legs. Lulu let out a gasp as more of her body was in contact with the magic. Instantly she lost her concentration and her spell puttered out. She fell to the ground, only her elbows propped her up. She could feel the pull the null zone had, it was like a vacuum beneath their feet draining their energy the longer they stood in it. Pix tried his best to pull Lulu back up with little success.

Poppy on the other hand just grit her teeth and bore the pain. She was not going to let this psycho free. She lifted a foot and stamped it hard on the head of her hammer. The metal rang with force.

A yelp of pain tore Poppy's attention away from the hubcap and over to Lulu. Pix was lifting his master up, his tiny body under her arm as she pulled her away from the null zone.

Power erupted from beneath the hubcap and Poppy was pushed off of it, only her athletic prowess kept her on her feet. Without hesitating Poppy changed focus and ran to Lulu, hooking an arm around her friend's waist and hoisting her up onto her shoulder in a smooth motion. Together they dove away from the now free Malzahar, his form popping back into its original form with a powerful burst of Void energy.

Malzahar roared in pain as he felt all his bones stretch and his joints pop back into place. If he wasn't so hopped up on adrenaline he would have passed out right then and there. The only thing keeping him awake was the fear of winding back in square one as a pitiful puddle of slime. He gasped, trying to fill his body with air as he struggled to stay on his feet.

Seizing the opportunity Poppy burst forward, surprising the prophet. She had her hammer cocked back to swing with all her strength. He couldn't defend himself too exhausted from a combination of his mental battle with Lulu and his sudden re-transformation. He had only enough time to shift over so the hammer clipped him instead of being struck head on. Even with the hammer hitting only his arm, he could feel it being pulled from its socket. Malzahar staggered to the ground. He was seething, forcing himself to breath so to not pass out from the pain. His arm hung limply at his side. He sent out a burst of magic with his good arm, scattering any debris around the junkyard into a flurry.

Poppy summoned her shield, giving herself enough cover from the debris to press her attack. She had to keep him grounded. Once he got airborne she won't be able to fight back. Lulu was the only of them that had any kind of reliable range offense, and she was too worn out to try that.

Malzahar took a step back, using what little energy he had left to lift himself up into the air. Poppy charged forward. Swinging her hammer overhead to clip the prophet once again. It struck his hip and he could feel the bruise already forming, if not the bone breaking underneath. He staggered back down to the ground, cradling one arm with the other and favoring his left leg. His soulless eyes darted around, trying desperately to find some kind of escape route. All around him were high stacks of cars, too old and rusted for repairs.

Weakly he flung a basic bolt of void energy, he might be able escape if only he could muster enough energy to shift planes. Though he doubted the little guardian would give him that opportunity. Poppy stepped forward taking the brunt of the attack on her shield and took another swing at him, no patience for any from of strategy other than keep up the pressure and force him to remain grounded. He dove forward, knowing full well it would break bone if he couldn't roll with the attack. The hammer swung over him, hitting only air this time. He landed hard on his bad hip, and he let out a loud curse. He staggered to the side, his back slamming against the stack of cars. He barely had time to breath before he had to duck again as a lance of glittering magic struck where he was. Pix, the little spirit, glared daggers at him as it hovered protectively above Lulu.

Malzahar tried to steady himself, placing a hand on a car's side mirror. It snapped off when he put too much weight on it. He fell hard on the ground. From his position he could see Poppy and Lulu cornering him. _Damnit, damnit._ His eyes widened when his eyes drifted to the mirror. There it was the streets of Piltover right there in the reflection just passed the rusted bumper of a truck.

Poppy raised her hammer again when Malzahar flung his arm up in surrender. "Wait... " He heaved a ragged breath, "Wait, I surrender."

His words made Poppy pause. Her grip on her hammer tightened. "Nice try. I'm not at gullible as you think."

"I'm no longer able to fight back. You dislocated my arm, and my leg cannot hold my weight. What little magic I have may stop one of you but not both... I'm at your mercy." Malzahar shifted so he sat up. His back was pressed against the cars, hiding the small gap that led to freedom.

"As shocking as it sounds, I don't believe you." Poppy hefted her hammer up again only for Malzahar to raise his one good arm up again, this time as a pitiful shield.

"WAIT!" It was Lulu who stayed Poppy's hand this time. She came closer to the two of them, using her staff as a crutch. "I'll polymorph him one more time. I have enough strength left to do that much at least. I rather not resort to killing him."

Poppy's eyes narrowed at Malzahar. After one long uncomfortable second she gave a quick nod to Lulu. "You're lucky Lulu was here. But if you try anything I highly doubt you'd be able to survive my hammer as a mouse."

Malzahar sighed in relief. Glad the more reasonable and kind hearted one was also the gullible one. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for yet another painful transformation. He needed to make a run for it as soon as he was the right size. Lulu's magic washed over him and he heard his bones pop and shift. He had to grit his teeth as he felt the world shift around him. When he opened his eyes he saw the two yordles tower over him. Looking down he saw his two hands were now furry paws. He flinched as he shifted his weight on his leg. His leg and arm were still too hurt but he can manage. As soon as he was able to move he ran through gap between cars.

Behind him he heard Poppy curse and slam her hammer into the cars. The metal rang out as she struck again. He needed to get farther away, he highly doubted a pile of rust would stand in the way of Poppy. His tiny legs scurried as fast as they could with one bad arm and a heavy limp.

He made it across the street when he heard the stack of cars topple over. Quickly he ducked into an alley, cutting off their line of sight to him. He could feel the magic already wearing off, Lulu had overestimated her skill, this spell would only last a few measly seconds but with a little bit of willpower he can keep the effect going if he wished. Hiding among the trash in the alleyway he saw the two guardians run passed him in a mad sprint.

There he waited a five seconds, then another five. When it became clear they weren't coming back this way he scurried out back onto the street. His mind was taxed beyond their usual limits and his body was so ragged he doubted the spells he used to heal himself would fix him up completely. Maybe it was that exact combination of physical and mental depletion that made him run back to the junkyard. It was the only place he could think of that will still give him enough cover to transform back to human and shift planes with any bit of privacy.

Malzahar barely rounded around a stack of cars when his body started to shift back to normal. It was more painful this time. He wasn't braced for it and his arm's loose socket made it all the more unbearable. He barely got to his feet, hand resting on a car when he heard it. The whoosh of wind that told him his favorite guardian was near. He leaned heavily onto the car and turned around.

There standing before him was Janna, Lux and even that little nuisance Veigar. He gave one pitiful chuckle as he took in their forms, staff and baton raised for a fight and Veigar cowering behind the two. Weakly he prepared to shift planes, the very last of his magical energy being used for his escape. Never before had he felt this drained and weak. He just had to keep them distracted for one measly second longer. "Janna…" His voice was hoarse and it scratched the back of his throat. Then what happened next confused him. A surprise look grew on Janna's face. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung agape. Even Lux was taken aback.

Before he shifted planes, falling back into the darkness that was the void, he heard only one hurt and heartbroken word. "Al-...Ala'aldeen?"

* * *

A/N: AAAand that's a WRAP! This is the end of Lulu's arc, up next is Jinx! Finally time for her to join the team. But before that, there might be a smaller chapter, sort of an epilogue if you will. We still need to settle some dust on Veigar's and Ezreal's stories, tie up loose ends I want to write to finish this arc on. (To be honest with you all I just wanted to end this chapter here because of how dramatic that cliffhanger is.)

And now for the questions and answers part of the author's notes.

Valguienmas1 - (Sorry it took so long to answer) Currently I don't have a plan for Kassadin, as much as I like the character I have my hands tied with the ongoing story between Malzahar and Janna. Though the idea of a good Void user certainly has its potential. So it's up there on the list of "story plots I want to write about." As for the second half of your question… I hadn't really thought about them. Not because I dislike them or anything. I love Orianna and my duo partner plays one mean Blitz, it's just I hadn't thought about their place within the story. If they ever do become part of my AU world, they'd most likely be just humans.

...now that I think about it I can see some funny scenes playing out between them, Blitz the senpai to Orianna who has trouble conveying her feelings… hmmmm….

Welp anyways, that's all for now.

See you all soon. Love you, bye!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Totally forgot to put one of these bad boys up on the previous chapter. I don't own League of Legends. Sometimes the truth hurts.

A/N: Hey-o everyone, sorry for yet another super late update. I kept rewriting this chapter over and over again trying to think of how I want to story to flow for Jinx. I think I got it how I'd like it, got the characters moving the way I want. Hopefully you'll guys will enjoy it.

Just a heads up, I got another story up now. It's not League related though, so fair warning. But if you're into Superheroes you'll find it interesting. That one is based off my current favorite book series.

Anyways, that's all for now on with the show~!

* * *

Everything was a blur. Just as Janna and Lux landed they found Malzahar limping along, using a car as support. He looked worse for wear, he favored his left leg, and his right arm hung loosely in its socket. Then suddenly as he turned around Janna could feel her blood run cold. Malzahar's robes burned away, fading back into the void magic it was conjured from. He didn't even realize his sudden transformation. He stood before the two guardians, a weak smirk on his face just as arrogant as always, clad in their school's uniform. But what drew Janna's attention was Malzahar's, no, Ala'aldeen's eyes. They were no longer the soulless pits of Void, they were the chocolate brown she stared into many times before. The same eyes she used to find comfort in. Janna found that her voice had caught in her throat, unable to say a single word. Before she could reach out to him or attack him, she wasn't quite sure which she wanted to do more, he fell out of her grasp. Disappearing back into the Void. She could hear Lux's voice faintly behind her. Honestly Janna couldn't decipher what she was saying, her chest hurt too much to try, or even care for that matter. Janna felt the light touch of a tear rolling down her cheek. Softly she wipe it away, pulling her hand up to stare at the small stain on her glove. She felt the rising storm of emotion growing in her stomach. The regret, the anger, the heartache. Suddenly she was in the air, leaving Lux and Veigar far behind before either of them could say anything. Like there was anything either of them could say that would calm her down. She needed space, a lot of it, to even start to unravel the thoughts running through her head.

Lux could only watch her friend leave, nothing she could do other than to send a silent prayer to the First Star to give Janna some kind of guidance. She sighed heavily, turning to pat Veigar on the shoulder, "Come on, we still need to talk to the others."

* * *

The next day Lux wasn't that surprised to find out her friend had decided to skip school. She hadn't seen her on the way up to the school's gate or waiting for them in either her classroom or even in their club room afterwards. Hopefully she would return soon, Lux and the others were deeply worried for their fellow guardian. And to be honest they wanted to know what was going on. No more secrets or half truths. Lux and Poppy were only able to figure out Malzahar/Ala'aldeen's connection to Janna as her ex only by sharing what each of them knew. That in the end left them with more questions than answers. There was too many things she didn't know about her closest ally and that hurt.

Lux sat alone in the literature club's room, luckily for her Diana wasn't attending club today. Eyes danced across pale pages, their words lost to her. She simply didn't have the heart to continue reading. She was mostly killing time until all the clubs had ended. There was guardian business to do that didn't involve Malzahar, and she had asked the others to come.

"Hey!" Lulu said, coming through the door followed closely by Veigar. She was much too early and her tagalong was unexpected.

After yesterday's incident Lux had allowed Veigar to keep his memories about the Star Guardians, at least the parts pertaining to Lulu. She saw no harm in letting the little yordle share her secret with her closest friend, and the First Star seemed to agree. Plus he was pleasantly surprised to find a warm welcome when he returned to class. Something that Lux suspected he wouldn't have appreciated as much if he had forgotten his momentary power trip. Of course it also meant keeping a close eye on him just in case he ever has a lapse in self control, his time in possession with Mejai's tome had some lingering effects. Namely a spark of magic that is stubbornly taking its time to fade away. For now it was dormant, and Veigar has yet to tap back into that power. As for the magic book Veigar stole from Malzahar, Lux had decided to keep it for now. They had no other idea on what to do with it and it seemed more important to keep it secure than to lose track of it entirely. With no way to destroy the book it was their only choice. They locked it tightly away and hidden within arm's reach. They had no idea if Malzahar had a way to track the book, but it still gave them peace of mind knowing that if he does ever tried to make a move to re-obtain it he'd have to get by a guardian to do so.

"Oh um, hey." Lux didn't want to sound rude, but beyond the one time they talked yesterday Lulu and her didn't really know each other. Not outside guardian duty that is.

Lulu didn't seem to notice how unprepared Lux was by her sudden appearance and kept rolling on with what she was doing. She pulled out from behind her back a small potted plant and held it out the blonde. "I noticed you didn't have any plants in your club so I thought it would be a great idea to liven up the place with some succulents."

Lux didn't know plants, she guessed that the plant was called succulent and not a play on words. Still she forced a smile and took the small pot from Lulu. "Thanks?"

"Of course! Oh and before I forget, Pix here has some notes on how to take care of your plant." Lulu held up Pix in her hand and in his mouth was a piece of paper folded in the shape of a heart. To the spirit's credit it didn't so much as blink when Lux took it. It was playing its role as a mere plushie very well. Lulu made an excited motion telling her to open it.

Veigar shook his head behind Lulu, "Better just take the dam-, uh, the plant. Lulu's been handing these out all day." From his tone and the bored expression on his face, he didn't suspect anything. This interaction between the two girls was something out of the blue on Lulu's part and not something between guardians.

The note Lulu had passed told her otherwise. Clever of her to hide a message in the guise of gardening tips. Lux skimmed the words, the first half was indeed instructions on how to take care of her new plant (which required little watering), the second half was a thank you letter of sorts. Lulu was incredibly thankful they were able to help Veigar regain his senses, and that she will try her best to help as the new Star Guardian. And also that they should all definitely hang out sometime. Lux didn't know if the last part was possible at the moment…

The notion still made Lux smile. When she went to say thanks, much more genuinely this time, Lulu was already ushering Veigar out the door and supposedly over to their next destination. Only after they left did Lux notice the small cart Lulu had filled with more potted plants. The two of them working together to push it down the hall. Lux shook her head at their fun, the smile still upon her face. The fact Lulu was able to share her secret with Veigar must be an incredible relief to the young yordle. Yet she knew she herself wouldn't be able to share her secret with her other friends or even her family. What would they even think? Lux didn't want to think what her parents might try to say. Garen would probably agree with them, his overprotectiveness could only be so endearing. Jayce would undoubtedly become more of an annoyance. His flirtatious attitude was enough to deal with as is. Caitlyn and Vi would probably be very supportive. Caitlyn was one of the most mature girls she knew besides Janna. And she could picture Vi giving her tips on how to fight. Even if the chances of a fistfight were low, knowing how to throw a mean punch might come in handy.

Lux idly flipped to the next page of her book, her train of thought not slowing down at all. Ezreal… how would he react? He would be supportive of her for sure. Then again, she knew her own feelings for him and wondered if he shared them, could she go out with him and be the guardian? Knowing full well it would worry him. It hadn't worked with Janna.

...That wasn't fair to Janna, she shouldn't compare their relation with her own. Still, she knew she told Janna she would keep her friends at arm's length for the moment, but wondered when she'll be able to close that gap.

...

Jayce slid open the door so hard it slammed into the frame jostling the whole room. He threw his bag into an open chair and waited for his best friend to get inside already. He was impatient, and rightly so. Last night Lux all but said she didn't want to hang out anymore (He can tell she was lying, just not exactly sure about what) and Ezreal just rolled with it. Ezreal flaked out on them and pretty much left him in the dark about why. Waiting all day had helped very little to improve his patience. All that kept his cool was Ezreal promising to let him know. As soon as the smaller teen entered Jayce hooked his laptop to the tv and put on the loudest anime he could find. The noise would drown out any would be eavesdroppers. Allowing them to keep a private chat with each other.

"Alright, out with it." Jayce said as he made double sure the door was locked behind them. He sat down in a chair across from Ezreal, the blond acting more anxious by the second.

Ezreal bounced his legs, fidgeting uncomfortably in his seat. He was holding off on this as long as he could. Jayce was stubborn when it came to secrets between friends. His philosophy was that there shouldn't be any. "Dude I don't think I should tell you," he pushed forward, halting whatever protest Jayce was gonna argue with, "not everything at least."

Jayce wanted to call him out, that a half answer would be bullshit, instead he leaned into the back of his seat with hands raised as if to say he won't interrupt. He trusted Ezreal will at least be fair.

Ezreal took in a deep breath. He wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not. But if he knew Jayce, and growing up with him meant that he did, then the big jerk wouldn't let up on him until he told him what was bugging him. He just had to keep it vague, and keep all the more prudent details hidden. "Okay so, uh, umm. Okay, do you remember how Ahri had that betting pool about who could guess who the Star Guardian was?"

"Yeah." Jayce shrugged, "You and I both thought it was Akali. I put like five bucks on it and Ahri still hasn't returned it." Ahri's little bet had fallen to the backs of everyone's minds, old news when compared to the plethora of new pictures and sightings all over the Valoran metropolis area. At this point everyone knew the guardian went to school here. Afterall a lot pointed to it; a video of two of them fighting in the courtyard, first hand witnesses of the same two in the gym, picture of two others fighting at one of Valoran High's dorm buildings. Even if the bet wasn't at the forefront of people's thoughts, the secret identities of the Guardians was. It was a mystery everyone was curious about. Who among their classmates were the Star Guardians? "Wait, why bring that up?"

Ezreal fiddled with his hands, pressing the tips of his index fingers together tightly over and over again. "I think if I changed my bet, I would win the pot…"

The words hung in the air for a silent moment. Jayce slowly processing them. His eyes went wide and he shot forward in his seat. His hands slammed down on the table as he leaned heavily over the table. "No dude, no way, Are you serious!?"

"Yes-" Ezreal eked out before getting cut off by a barrage of questions. At least he can count on Jayce to take him seriously. Other's would have called him out for lying, even if he wasn't.

Still there was more to iron out between the two. Ezreal wanted to keep Lux's identity secret. It would only be fair for her.

* * *

Ala'aldeen, no… his identity no longer matter. Whichever guise he decided to wear they would already know the truth. Malzahar wandered his small apartment, his limp from yesterday reduced to a mild ache. Pacing back and forth as he wracked his brain. Yesterday kept playing over and over and over again in his head. He can't get Janna's hurt expression out of his face. He never wanted to hurt her like that. This was a betrayal of a different kind. Yes he wanted Janna for himself, and was willing to kill the Star Guardians to do so. But that was only because they took her away from him first. She was never meant to know his part in their passing. Now he doubted she would ever look at him again with affection in her eyes.

He growled and magic exploded into the palm of his hand. He slammed his fist into a nearby wall, cracking the plaster and putting a sizable dent where he struck. There was a loud bang from his neighbor which he ignored, yelling at him from their side of the building. Like he cared what they thought of him now that he could no longer keep his secret.

Sighing, Malzahar opened his hand and let his fingers trace the cracks. _Fine so be it._

 _No more hiding…_

Malzahar walked over to his front door, pausing to look back at his near empty apartment. For what it was worth, he was going to miss this quiet part of his life. While the school was only a distraction at most, he actually liked attending. The shift of focus let him relax when he didn't have to be the 'prophet'. He chuckled at that thought. When had his life as part of the void overcome his normal life? He can't remember, not clearly. Sure he can still remember his childhood and what middle school was like. And even the time spent with Janna before either of them became who they are now. But he cannot, for the life of him, remember when the turning point is. Maybe he really is more Void than human now. The only lingering humanity he had left was his love, and now that it was falling away he is truly empty.

As he swung open his door he caught sight of his neighbor coming out of their apartment. They had an angry expression on their face, and the words fell out of their mouth before they realized who they were talking to. "You put a crack on my side of the wall! You better pay…." Their words fell to silence as Malzahar's 'eyes' locked onto their own. Without a word Malzahar stepped up onto the walkway's railing and with little effort took to the sky.

The Void had made it clear that he would not be allowed to fail anymore. His return to their domain last time was almost his last. Without Mejai's tome Vel'Koz almost took his head from his shoulders right then and there. Malzahar was quick with his words though, he had told them that it was easy enough to track down. He had planned for such an occasion. If they were ever able to take the book from him he would be able to track it.

A large pulse of magic pulled at his senses. His eyes drifted across the city skyline and to the direction of a dorm building where a beacon of magical energy was emanating from. It called to the prophet. Malzahar chuckled, _Of course_.

...

Honestly Janna didn't know what she was doing here. She stared down at the cup of coffee sitting between her hands. It was the same Starbucks she talked to Ala'aldeen, not Malzahar, but Ala'aldeen. What happened only a few days ago now feels as if years had passed. She was even in the same seat as she was before. Why does it feel so different? Janna knew, she knew, Malzahar was responsible for the death of her old team. Their pained faces fresh in her mind now that her memories have become clear. And yet she still cared for Ala'aldeen, in a strange way. She hated herself for feeling that way. His betrayal should have filled her with fury not regret and heartbreak. It was confusing, a mix of emotion she had no control of anymore now that memories she mentally locked away a year ago had finally come back to her.

There were so many times she was with Ala'aldeen, where they were close in each other's arms. She felt warm in those memories. They would talk hours on end, hang out in her dorm way past curfew, and they even thought about continuing their relationship even through university.

Then it changed. When she decided her guardianship was who she was, he fell into despair. His broken heart was what allowed the Void to take hold of him, making him the prophet he is now. Warping his emotions and mind to fit their needs. She hadn't realized, not back then, that Malzahar's appearance came too closely to their break-up.

Her warm memories were replaced by that of cold hatred. There were many times she sought revenge for his action, for her loss. She remembered now, after all this time, that the reason she first lost her powers last year was because she had lost her way. She had strayed from the path of a Star Guardian. When hatred was all that was left in her body, the First Star took back the powers. Janna remembered that moment too, she was so willing to forget her losses that she gave up her duty as a guardian. Along with the memories that followed… at least most of them.

Janna sighed. So much of this world's strife felt like it was her fault. Even now, Lux was in the exact same position she was in, and Janna was leading Lux down the same destructive road. She just hoped Lux and Ezreal would make better decision than her and Ala'aldeen.

Looking down at her phone she saw that it was the end of school, clubs will be going for a while longer. Then afterwards Lux would most likely hold a meeting, to plan their next step.

...While they did that Janna would be here…

She cursed under her breath. One could only hide for so long, sooner or later she would have to talk to them. Explain what had happened yesterday, why she ran away. Standing up, she took her half full cup of coffee and tossed it into the trash. One step at a time.

* * *

Jinx rolled over in her bed only to find she had run out of bed to roll over to. She hit the wood floor hard and the sudden jolt of pain woke her up. She stood quickly and felt her hair drape over her face. She spat as she wiped her face free from the blue strands. Jinx hated mornings… She yawned and looked down at her clock. Her eyes went wide as she read the time. Okay so it wasn't exactly morning.

She cursed and flopped back onto her bed, her eyes drifted around her room. From poster to poster then back to the clock. Ekko won't like that she skipped school again. At least this time it wasn't on purpose. She slept through her alarm, how can he fault her for that? It's much too late to attend now, might as well go out and see what fun she can stir up. Jinx pushed off the bed and walked over to her closet. She pried it open slowly as to not disturbed the mountain of clothes she haphazardly thrown inside. They weren't dirty, she was just lazy and folding clothes took way too long and it was incredibly boring. Washing them was easy, just throw them in the machine with a bit of soap and walk away.

After she dressed in her choice of tanktop and shorts she sat back down onto her bed. The next part was tedious as well but very vital in her mind. Jinx parted her hair evenly down the middle. She tied one side off with a hair tie to hold it in place while she worked the other. She would much rather keep them braided so she wouldn't have to redo them every day, but they hurt her head if she kept them in too long and despite what others might say, she took some pride in her appearance. She had a certain style to uphold, and tight braids was part of that. Jinx raked out three strands and separated them in between each of her fingers. It was almost hypnotic how easily Jinx braided her hair. Years of doing them up had taught her how to be quick and efficient. One strand of over the other and back again with the third…

Jinx muttered a song to herself as she worked. It was when she finished her first and was about to start her second when she heard the crash a few doors down. Her hands stopped in place as she paused to listen. Nothing. Jinx shrugged and started up again. Maybe she imagined it. Then there was another crash, unmistakable this time. Jinx stood up and walked over to her door, her braiding momentarily forgotten. Tip toeing as to not make a noise, she carefully pressed her ear to the wood and listened. No one should be back from school yet, not this early. There was yet another crash as if whoever was making the noise was kicking down doors one after the other. Jinx gulped a little as she notice the next crash was closer than the last. If it was a break in then they better stay the hell away from her room. No way was she going to be caught like some dumb damsel in distress.

Stopping her braiding for now, Jinx made her way to her desk. She dug through the junk littering the drawer until she came up with a band of metal that sat securely in her fist. It wasn't a real brass knuckle, they would never sell anything like that to a young girl like Jinx. Despite her attempts to find a real pair. No, it was only a decorative belt buckle Ekko had bought because it looked cool. It most certainly didn't look cool in her personal opinion. She looked at it with a credulous look, the metal felt wrong. It was much too light. Jinx got another idea, one she like much more. Tucking the belt buckle in her back pocket she dug a bit further into her drawer and pulled out a lighter. Not much by itself unless used creatively with a paint can.

The next crash was just next door. The sound almost startled Jinx if she wasn't already listening for it. The would be criminal sounded like he was trashing the room. It won't be long now. Jinx knelt down in front of her door paint can and lighter raised at the door, then thought better of herself and moved to the side so she was along the side the wall. When the punk comes in he won't see her unleash hellfire on him.

Jinx was so sure she would catch the asshole by surprise. Which is why she was the one caught off guard when the door didn't get kicked in but instead completely shatter at the man's touch. She stumbled onto her butt as Malzahar came striding in, unfazed by his destruction. He looked around the room slowly, looking for something, until he found Jinx's face frozen and mouth agape. He only raised a single eyebrow in response. Amused at her slack jaw expression. Quickly Jinx's composure recovered and she brought up her improvised flamethrower. She sprayed him with pink paint, while her thumb worked the lighter. It clicked uselessly three times, with each fruitless spark making Jinx's stomach drop further and further.

Malzahar looked down to the building stain on his robe, the meager retaliation was laughable. With some effort he held out a force of telekinesis that let the paint float and build into a ball. When it was of adequate size he flicked his fingers and the splatter struck Jinx in the eyes.

She let out a curse and flinched away. She fell back while she also wiped her face furiously.

Malzahar stepped in with an open hand that went to her throat. He made Jinx gag out a cough in surprise as he slammed her into the wall. The force knocked wind from her lungs and she was kept just high up enough so she couldn't stand comfortably. "That is quite en-" Malzahar flinched away as Jinx tried to spray her paint can into his face. He growled and used his other hand to hold her improvised weapon down. She was now just stubbornly keeping the thing spraying at this point. "That is enough."

Jinx only coughed in his grasp.

"I will let you go, unharmed, so long as you do one thing for me. Tell me which room belongs to Lux." Malzahar loosened his grip ever so slightly to let Jinx take a lungful of air.

Jinx gasped and nodded. She spoke in a soft hoarse tone, which made Malzahar strain to hear. Quietly she slipped a hand into her back pocket. She spoke again, only for Malzahar to strain once more. He leaned in close, almost face to face until he heard her clearly say, "Get bent."

He felt the steel toed tip of Jinx's boot plant itself into his groin forcefully and the prophet went down to his knees in a heap.

Jinx landed wobbly onto her feet and with as much weight as her skinny frame could, threw her fist into the prophet's skull. The metal the belt buckle was made out of bent from the sucker punch and Jinx dropped it to the ground. It was too warped to use again. While he was still dazed Jinx ran as quickly as her legs could carry her.

As she ran down the hall a small voice, no wait, it was two small voices, together they rang through her ear. "Is she really running away?" - "She's really running away…"

Jinx shook her head. Her eyes glanced around trying to see where the voices had come from.

"Pre~tty cowardly." - "Oh yeah, super cowardly."

Jinx slowed to a jog, her eyes twitching with irritation. "Hey!" She turned to find an empty hallway.

Whatever else Jinx was about to say was cut off when a large boom of energy erupted from down the hallway. Jinx could tell that her room was pretty much gone, the wall was torn down and the debris littered the hallway. Malzahar walked into view, holding his head with his head. The bump he felt was already fading. He rolled his head, stretching his neck and listening to the pops as he shook the daze. His gaze locked onto Jinx's, for a second there was nothing but silence. Then he rushed forward with terrifying speed.

 _Shit, shit, shit._ Was all that ran through Jinx's head as she ducked into the closest room for cover. From a cursory glance she could tell the room belonged to Vayne. The girl had too much black for her own good. Jinx scrambled to her desk and found a small stack of textbooks, they were the only colorful things in the room. As soon as Malzahar showed his face Jinx threw one in his direction.

The textbook burst into confetti as his magic tore into it. He sidestepped the second book and it thudded against the wall harmlessly. Void magic arced between his fingers as he brought them up from his sides. "Stop, really you're only embarrassing yourself."

Jinx cocked back her arm ready to throw yet another textbook when Malzahar blasted it straight out of her hand. She cursed long and loud, holding her hand close to her chest. The skin felt like it burnt and it stung at the slightest touch.

"Which room belongs to Lux?" Malzahar asked as he took a step closer.

Through her clenched teeth, Jinx hissed out "How the hell should I know?" She blew onto her hand, hoping that it might help sooth the pain. "Hell, I Didn't even know miss goodie two shoes lived in the same dorm as me."

Malzahar shrugged, "Well, then what good are you to me." He sent a blast of magic at Jinx. Striking her in the stomach. Jinx doubled over in pain. "If you told me sooner, would have saved you a whole lot of pain. But instead you annoyingly decided to retaliate." Malzahar turned around and almost absentmindedly waved his hand over his shoulder.

Jinx had only a split second to think she was off the hook before her vision was engulfed with purple haze. Static filled her mind and pin pricks of pain surrounded her head. She screamed as fire erupted inside her head. She grabbed handfuls of hair, one half still left unbraided, as horrific vision invaded her mind.

As Malzahar walked away he listened to Jinx's pained screams. His eyes swept the leftover rooms. He still had most of this floor and the next floor up to search. The rest of the dorm building was dedicated to the boys, so no use for him. He again tried to reach out to Mejai's tome, he was again overwhelmed by a massive pulse. He knew the book was in this building, but the couldn't pinpoint it any further than he already had. Its strong magical pull only blurred his vision once he got so close. Malzahar growled in frustration and walked back down the hall. He stopped at a door he hadn't destroyed, and then destroyed it. A single glance told him it wasn't Lux's room. He moved on, Jinx's screams growing fainter as he walked away.

* * *

Lux waited patiently as Poppy and Lulu made their way to their seats. Lulu was particularly happy to see that the plant she had just given to Lux was sitting by the windowsill.

After the two sat down, Lux spoke. "Alright…" She took a breath. Not exactly sure what to say, even after she took the last hour or so to prep. She decided to skip her proposed starting points and skip to a topic that would be easier to broach. "How is Veigar doing Lulu? From what I saw he seemed fine."

Lulu bobbed her head side to side, not a nod nor a shake, more like a physical motion of weighing her thoughts in her head. "Um yes. Well, during class he seemed more than fine. He was attentive and was his usual self."

"Meaning he probably called someone idiotic or foolish when they got a question wrong and then answered it himself." Poppy interrupted.

"Uh…" Lulu pressed her fingers together, embarrassed for Veigar, "Yeah." Lulu then frowned. "But after class was over he was- uh. I don't know... Evasive?" She said it like it was a question. When no one else spoke up, Lulu continued on. "It wasn't until I remember he usually goes to the Occult club after classes did I know why…"

"Malzahar…" Poppy said under her breath with more venom then she must have realized. Ala'aldeen was also the Occult club's

Lux winced, she didn't want to start on this train because once it started it was hard to stop.

"It wasn't fair for Janna to keep it a secret." Poppy said suddenly

Lux tried to cut the conversation before is started. "Poppy stop. Janna didn't know any more than we did. She was just as shocked to see Ala'aldeen-"

"Aw c'mon." Poppy cut Lux off. "Janna had to know at least something right?"

Lux slammed her hands onto the table. The mere action startled both the yordles. "Enough, Poppy." Lux said in an even tone, which made Poppy back down. A calm voice was more intimidating than an angry snap. "We cannot do anything about it until Janna returns. Hopefully after she takes a day to sort through this whole ordeal she'll be more level headed. For now we will have to respect her boundary even if we don't like it."

Poppy crossed her arms over her chest and looked down at the floor sharply. Then she closed her eyes and snorted. "Its frustrating though. Isn't it?" She asked looked back and forth from Lux and Lulu.

"It is, and we will talk about it LATER." Lux pushed hard on the last word. Trying to get the message through Poppy's thick skull.

Lulu jumped in trying to change the topic. "What's our plan then? We have the book, and we stopped whatever plan Malzahar was working on."

Lux sighed. "We were only able to halt his plan. Whatever Malzahar was doing with the book has only stopped because we have it. With it, he can start again without a problem."

"So we just need to play keep away?" Poppy said.

"Only until we figure a way to destroy the book." Lux leaned forward in her chair, her hands curling around her arms. "Which we cannot do until we free the souls within."

"Can we read the book?" Lulu asked innocently. It only made Lux and Poppy to stare at her.

Lux shook her head. "No. No one must read that book. The magic inside is so foul even touching it harms us and non-guardians become consumed with power. If we try to read it, I would fear the consequences."

"So we just sit on our hands then." Poppy said with irritation.

"The book is secured for now and there's nothing else we can do on that front. We can however move forward elsewhere. We still need to recruit the last guardian to our team."

"Who is that going to be?" Lulu asked

"I- I uh, don't know."

* * *

Jinx was scared, something she wasn't entirely used to feeling. She writhed in pain, rolling around Vayne's room holding onto her head tightly. It was burning behind her eyes and they could do nothing but water and sting. Her mind wa also filled with vision of terrifying creatures. Beasts from another world, and they all wanted to torment her and everyone around her. All she wanted was for this feeling to stop.

"She's isn't looking too hot." - "Not hot at all."

There they were again those other two voices. She knew she wasn't crazy, not really. She was spastic and impulsive for sure, but not actually crazy. That's only what everyone else said.

"Fu-"

"Ah, careful there." - "Gotta keep that PG-13 rating"

Jinx chanced opening her eyes and was only assaulted with more visions. She struggled to her feet. Her legs were so wobbly that they barely even listened to her. They were asleep and numb. It took more concentration telling them to move than it did to keep her balanced. She got onto one knee before she fell forward again and hit her head on the nearby desk. She cursed loudly and explicitly.

"Al~most had it there." - "Very close…"

"OKAY who ever the fu-" Jinx yelled into the empty room.

"Whoa there" - "Remember, it's rated T for Teen."

These voices were making no sense. What were they even talking about? All she knew was that this hurt like hell and she needed to make it stop. She pushed off the desk with her hands. Gripping it tightly so she can use it for support. Her legs almost buckled a second time and her vice like grip was the only thing keeping her upright. Now that she had her feet under her, she rushed out the door. She couldn't risk walking slowly, fearing her legs will buckle if they weren't constantly moving. Jinx went through the door and slammed into the wall opposite. She rebounded and continued to rush down the hall. Not a run exactly, more like a hurried jog. Jinx was pushing her way to the closest bathroom. The shared bath had stalls for each shower. Jinx didn't know if dunking her head in water would work. It only felt like her head was engulfed in flames. Her vision was mostly blurry, so she had to rely on memory to make it into the showers. In her rush she almost bowled over the same asshole who set her head aflame. Malzahar side stepped her easily and watched her ineffectual grasp at the door knob. The stupid knob wouldn't turn, and Jinx resorted to throwing her shoulder into the door. Behind her she could hear him laugh at her. He was seriously pissing her off.

"You have a lot more fight than I thought." Malzahar said.

The door swung open and Jinx fell back onto her chest. She felt the cold tile hit her cheek and it did nothing to sooth the burning all around her. Then suddenly stopped.

"I've changed my mind… You can be of use to me." Malzahar suddenly filled her view. He was knelt over her and held his hand over her mouth, making it hard to talk back. He pushed her head from side to side, getting a good look at her. Her gaze was hard and full of fire. She made another swing at him, but Malzahar caught the sucker punch this time. She was in no position to put any strength behind it. He wrenched her arm behind her and pinned her down onto the floor. Then suddenly the burning sensation returned. Similar but not quite. She could feel a rush of energy in her body, filling her and emptying her at the same time. Her eyes glazed over and turned purple. She felt like she was being pulled from her body, and she was watching it below writhe as it was engulfed in purple energy. Her tanktop tightened into a black and purple crop top, almost bikini shaped. Below the crop top her chest was wrapped in a belt covered in bullets. Jinx pushed herself onto her knees. At least her body did. Jinx felt like she had no control over what she did. She was yelling into her ear, she wanted to sucker punch that motherfu- or at least run. Her waist was weighed down by another belt, more bullets covering this one. On her hip rested what look like a combination of a tesla coil and handgun and on her lower back was grenades with small bear traps attached to them. Her body got to her feet and held out her hand. In it a pink mini gun appeared and fell into her waiting grasp. It looked like it'd weigh a ton but Jinx's body held it easily in her hand. She pushed that aside when a strap appeared and in her other hand a blue rocket launcher appeared. She smiled at Malzahar.

"Go distract the guardians while I search the building."

Jinx wanted to curse at him, flip him off, do something. Instead her body threw up a lazy salute, a wink and turned on her heel.

"This isn't good…" - "Not good at all."

"No shit" Jinx said and then noticed two little creatures floating beside her.

* * *

Ezreal walked alone towards Lux's dorm. It took a while to get Jayce to stop bugging him for the Star Guardian's identity. When he was able to get it into his friend's thick skull that it wasn't his secret to tell, Jayce backed down. What Ezreal couldn't stop was Jayce idea that since Ezreal wasn't 'into' Lux anymore, she was 'free game' now. Ezreal sometimes hated Jayce. It'll be a whole lot of work to reel back his friend's flirting. If Lux thought of Jayce as annoying before, it's going to get a whole lot worse.

For now at least, he can at least still be friends with her. Maybe, if he could ever find the right opportunity, he can tell her that he knows of her secret. He didn't know if that was a smart idea, what he did know is that he trusted Lux. If he had to lose the memory of her identity, at least she would know he was honest with her. He suspected she was only keeping everyone at arm's length to keep her friends safe.

Ezreal turned the corner and almost ran into someone else. He quickly backpedaled and dipped into a small bow. "S-sorry. I wasn't looking."

"No it's alright." Janna said. She didn't want to tell him that she had been pacing back and forth for the last ten minutes arguing with herself whether or not to go to Lux's dorm. "Oh, Ezreal. Do you know if Lux is at her dorm?" If she wasn't Janna would be able to lie to herself and go home. That was also the same reason she decided not to try to text or call her.

He only shrugged in response. "I don't know. I was only going to drop off her notebook for her. I missed her after clubs cause I didn't have the time."

 _She must be out training then…_ Janna thought, already mentally readying herself to leave. "Then-"

"Hey-, ah, sorry." Ezreal quickly apologized for cutting Janna off. When she didn't continue, Ezreal started again lamely. "Um, since I was just gonna drop off her notebook wanna just walk together?"

Janna pursed her lips, weighing his offer. "Sure." This was just the push she needed. She stepped aside so she could fall in next to him.

They walked in silence. It wasn't awkward, thank goodness. It was more that they were comfortable with not talking. Ezreal always thought Janna as the mature upperclassmen. A lot like Caitlyn in his opinion but more studious. While Janna was glad she would still be able to think things through in her head. Her company was enjoyable in the fact that he didn't talk just to talk.

The duo was ripped from their reverie when they heard someone yell. Ezreal and Janna looked down the street and saw four of their schoolmates running to take cover from a hail of bullets. The lead tore up the street behind them. Tryndamere had Ashe in his arms and was glaring down from where they came. Sejuani was running just behind them, keeping pace with the two. While Olaf was limping along next to her.

Ashe was the first to notice them. She wriggled out of her boyfriend's grasp to run over to Janna and Ezreal. "Turn around. Some girl is going crazy and attacking everyone."

"It wasn't some girl, I'm pretty sure that was Jinx." Sejuani said as she caught up.

Speak of the devil, Jinx rounded around the street and into view. Taking pretty much everyone by surprise. They didn't expect the girl to catch up to them so quickly. She was excited and was letting the rush of adrenaline push her forward. She reached behind her and threw a trio of grenades at the group. Tryndamere all but tackled Ashe to get between her and the explosive. Sejuani kicked her shoe off as soon as she notice one clamp down onto the rubber sole, before diving for cover along with the couple. Unfortunately for Ezreal one grenade seemed to fly straight towards him. The damn thing must have had a bear trap attached to it because it bit down onto his leg. The pain caused him to fall to the ground. Olaf recovered from his surprise, batted one grenade away with his school bag and then noticed the one stuck to Ezreal. He reached down and ripped it free like a bandaid. To say it hurt was an understatement. Once it was free Olaf chucked it as hard as he could. It made it only three feet before it went off.

Wind buffeted all around them. Protecting them from the worst of the explosion. The five not aware of Janna's power looked around in amazement. Janna herself had feigned fright with the others and was kneeling along side everyone else. When she was sure the explosion was deflected she reached over to Ezreal, "Are you alright?"

Ezreal sucked a breath between his greeted feet. "I got a chunk missing in my leg, but I think I'm okay." He said just as a strong pair of arms hooked under his own and hoisted him up.

"You guys gotta get outta here." Olaf said, passing the injured boy over to Sejuani. "I'm gonna stall her."

"Like hell you-" Sejuani started then her eyes went wide and shoved Ezreal and herself to the ground.

The rocket hit the windshield, the mere power of the attack made Janna wince. She couldn't keep the shield up without fully transforming and she couldn't do that with so many witnesses around.

"What is that?" Ashe asked looking intently at the shield.

"Who cares?" Tryndamere said. "It's keeping us safe. Lets run while we can." He held his girlfriend in his arms and firmly tried to get her to run to safety. Ashe hesitated for a second then moved along with him.

Sejuani picked up Ezreal in a fireman's carry and followed after them. She turned to grab Olaf by the arm. "You're coming with."

Olaf grumbled an argument, but shut up when yet another rocket hit the shield. From the looks of it the wind was dying down. Who knows how long it will last. Well Olaf wasn't stupid, foolhardy yes, stupid no, he limped along with the others.

Janna was the only one who hesitated. She didn't want to stay with them. If she went along, she wouldn't be able to get away long enough to transform. And even then, they'd wonder where'd she went. She had to call the other guardians. Quickening her pace, she fell into step with Olaf and Sejuani. Glancing back, she noticed Jinx run after them for a few feet then turn back around. The gun toting girl was staying within sight of the dorm building. That was weird _._

"We need to call Lux." Ezreal said through the jostling ride. The statement made Janna stare at him. Ezreal mentally slapped himself and then rushed over his blunder, "W-we have to call Lux a-and Quinn, and everyone who goes to that dorm. They need to know to stay away."

"Right. I'll call Lux. Do you have the other's numbers?" Janna said, taking her phone out in the process.

"Not everyone's. I have Quinn's, and I think Garen texted me once."

"I got Garen's" Olaf said. Sometimes people forgot that he used to hang out with the other Demacians before befriending Sejuani and her group.

"Okay, we'll call them. Then we can get the police or something to respond." Janna said. Her phone already dialing Lux.

"What about the guardians?" Ezreal asked as straight faced as he could.

* * *

Lux fiddled with her phone, locking it and unlocking it over and over again. A text to Janna was half written on her screen. She needed to ask about the next guardian they were to recruit. Janna had told her only of Poppy and Lulu. The last guardian, Janna wanted to tell everyone at once. When asked why, Janna said she wanted to explain to everyone why she was chosen only once. To be honest, that didn't sound good to Lux. Who could it be?

"I bet it's going to be Tristana." Poppy said, making Lux slow down and throw a raised eyebrow at her. "Just throwing out guesses." Poppy replied with a shrug. "Trist is pretty easy going and she's responsible too."

"Oh yeah," Lulu joined in, "She volunteers at that pet shelter, and has that big pitbull named Riggle, cause he wriggles a lot." Lulu remembered running into Tristana when she was out in Bandle City, she was walking her dog around the park and Lulu got to play with him.

"S-she has a pitbull?" Lux said with a slight hint of fear. She was never a dog person, especially big dogs.

"Technically her parents have a pitbull, since she can't keep him in the dorms. Don't worry, he's a big ol softy. Most dogs are. The only dangerous dog is one mistreated, and all those jerks of owners who mistreat them." Lulu said.

Lux pursed her lips, still a little uneasy around large dogs. "Um, I don't doubt she'd make a good guardian. The thing is, Janna made it seem like we wouldn't like who the First Star chose."

Poppy's shoulders bounce, brushing off Lux's worry. "If the First Star chose them how bad can they be?"

"You're right, I'm more worried about… well you know."

"Is that why you haven't texted Janna yet?" Lulu asked jumping up to take a glimpse at Lux's cell. Right there the text still laid unsent.

"No! Well, not exactly. I don't want to- yah!" Lux's phone started to ring loudly, startling Lux. Lulu stifled a giggle while Poppy jumped over to look at the cell. Lux pulled the phone away from both their prying eyes and held it close. She peeked at the name called and her eyes went wide. "Girls, quiet. It's Janna." That instantly got the two yordles attention. They hushed as Lux answered the call, only for her to pull the phone back when Janna yelled into the receiver.

Once the initial panic subsided Lux put the cell on speaker and let the others crowd around it. "Janna what happened?" Lux asked aloud.

The voice on the other end was scratchy and there was a lot of background noise. As if she was running. "Janna did you get through?" That voice definitely caught Lux's attention. That was Ezreal. "Yes." Janna said more to Ezreal than to Lux or the yordles listening in. "Lux, don't go back to your dorm. Someone is attacking anyone who gets close. So please stay where you are and DON'T go to your dorm."

"If that isn't a thinly veiled message I don't know what is." Poppy said only for Lux to hush her a second later.

"I'm with Ezreal and a few others. We're heading back to the school so we can tell anyone else who's still there to avoid the dorms. I'll try to meet up with you when I can." Janna said. Then abruptly the call ended.

Lux looked down to the two others. No need for words. All three ran to the closest secluded side street. The never paused as their bodies were enveloped in light. In a few stride the three guardians were transformed and together they took to the sky. Lux leading out in front while Poppy and Lulu held on to the latter's staff.

* * *

"Both of you SHUT UP!" Jinx yelled at the two… she was so frustrated she didn't even know what to call the two creatures. One was white while the other was black. Each had a single wing on opposite sides, the white had an angelic wing and the black had a leathery devil wing. If they were suppose to be the dual aspects of her conscious, they were doing a shitty job at it. All they were doing were complaining and nagging at her. What the hell was she able to do. Currently she was nothing more than a ghost or an astral projection. She could no nothing. Jinx watched as her body acted like a guard dog. Running a lap around the block looking for anyone remotely heading towards the dorm building. Every now and then she would use that mini gun or the rocket launcher to cause some havoc.

"I'm gonna be in sooo much shit after this!" Jinx said with two handfuls of hair. Sure she had done her own fair share of petty crimes. Destruction of property, defacing local landmarks, some small theft (snatch and grabs at convenience stores with Ekko.) and one case of breaking and enter at the local zoo. Nothing she knew she couldn't get away with. And no where near as this destructive.

"You need to retake control!" - "Purge the Void with your righteous soul!"

"STOP, I don't know what that means! Even if I did, I don't know how to do it." Jinx yelled at the two whatevers. This is absolute insanity. It didn't take one long to know she didn't have a righteous soul. What she was currently working with was a ball of building rage and two intangible fists she had trouble wringing her own neck with. She whipped around and launched one hell of roundhouse kick that phased right through her body's midsection. "This isn't working!"

"Nonono NO. Use your inner light!" - "The fireball of passion in your gut!"

"It's a fireball of something alright…" Jinx seethed through gritted teeth under her own breath. Jinx moved around her body. At least she was still somewhat conscious. She was aware of what was going on. She was also able to look around, her astral view wasn't locked into the same pov as her own body. She could look around. Though flying seemed to be out of the question, while she could float whatever kind of force that was controlling her body was also keeping her tethered to it. She couldn't fly any farther than ten feet. If she tried it was extremely painful, then it would snap her back like a dog on a leash.

As Jinx's body ran down the street, Jinx noticed someone in the side street's mirror. The round convex mirror used to check corners when driving. She recognised that white mohawk anywhere. _Shit! What the hell dude!?_

Ekko was creeping along the side street. Ducking from one car to the next. In his hand was his cell, no doubt in her mind who he was calling. Jinx phone was on her person, her body was just not answering it. So to Ekko it must seem like the worst case scenario. Jinx waved her arms back and forth, trying to send mental signals to her friend to just run away.

Of course, he took that moment to notice Jinx. The gun toting fruit loop that was Jinx anyways. He smiled and called out to her, then saw the minigun strapped to her waist. Then the smile vanished as realization hit him like a grenade. Literally. The trio of grenades barely even bounced before they blew up. Jinx flew forward until the pain of the tether whipped her back to where her body was. She had her eyes locked on the side street, the dust was just clearing enough for her to see through. As the dust parted Jinx saw Ekko laying flat on the ground, hand over his head but very much alive and freaked out. There was barrier of light flashing around him, having protected him from the explosion.

"Phew that was close." Lux said as she lowered herself down to the street.

Jinx let out a sigh of relief and flopped to the floor.

"You okay?" Poppy asked as she helped the kid back to his feet. Ekko nodded, shaking the effects of the explosion off. "Good. Now get outta here before you get hurt."

"No way!" That took everyone by surprise. Jinx most of all. "That's my friend there!" Ekko looked and locked eyes with Jinx, his jaw tightened. "She must've gotten her head messed up by that purple guy Ahri's been gossiping about."

Poppy shot a glance at Lux, both of whom had first hand experience with people taken control of by Malzahar. "Don't worry, we'll take care of her." Poppy said

"She means that in the nicest way possible." Lulu said coming up to Ekko's side.

Jinx suddenly drew that strange tesla pistol at her side and shot it towards Ekko. The guardians all jumped forward simultaneously. Poppy lept ahead of everyone and summoned her shield, Lux shielded Poppy, and Lulu pulled Ekko back down to the ground. The electricity washed over the shield and the static that encompassed Poppy made all the fur on her skin stand on end. She felt a little numb, but she was still able to move and that was good enough for her.

Lux threw her hand back, shooing Ekko and Lulu with the gesture. "Get him out of here!" She dove to the side as a hail of bullets rained onto the sidewalk where she was a moment ago. Poppy charged head first, letting her shield deflect many of the shots. "Poppy, careful!"

Lux continued to call out orders. Lulu grabbed Ekko by the arm and tightened her grasp on her staff. Ekko saw the fight scene shrink away as he was pulled away. He struggled in the tiny yordle's grip, which was surprisingly strong. "Let me go! Jinx-"

"She's going to be fine!" Lulu said, "Our abilities will purge the foul magic controlling her. You have nothing to worry about."

* * *

Malzahar destroyed another door. He wasn't getting tired, not in the slightest, but the longer it took the more likely he's going to run into the guardians again. He cannot let that happen. For one, he didn't know what he'd end up doing if he ran into Janna again, and another was that he could not lose the book a second time. He subconsciously rubbed at his throat. Kha'Zix made sure to graphically explain what he would do to his head once Vel'Koz gave the order. No, he couldn't let that happen. He needed to find that book. Malzahar looked around the room. It was plain, minimal amount of decoration, only a single poster on the wall with the latest pop group craze, and one poro plushie on the bed that was meticulously made.

He looked around slowly. Nothing screamed it wasn't Lux's room, then again the last few didn't either. He took a few steps in, there was a desk kept very clean and organized, the textbooks were stacked in order of class schedule. Whoever this room belonged to was studious sort, and also very boring. He ramped up his magical sense, and felt the linger scent of magic in the room. It was only marginally more than the other rooms, though it was enough for Malzahar to notice. This place was so washed out with magic from Mejai's tome that it was hard to tell. Malzahar pulled open the drawers of the desk one after the other. More school supplies and some personal notebooks. The latter made Malzahar pause. Not because he was the nosy sort, but because if the book had personal info he might be able to figure out who's room this was.

He flipped to a random page in the middle and saw the usual rambling of a high school girl, and the name of the owner of the book. He snorted, "Finally." With a thought he burned the notebook and turned to face the rest of the room. _So the book is somewhere in here…_

* * *

A/N: That's a wrap! Starting off Jinx's story with a twist.

Time for the QnA portion.

Valguienmas1 (Who I'm assuming reviewed under Guest accidentally) - While I love Gailio's old lore, and how he was a major part of Poppy's old lore, I never actually thought about putting him into this story. As a character or otherwise. If he does show up, it's going to be as a statue. I honestly wouldn't know what to do with him. Sorry if dear readers if he is a favorite champion of yours.

Rufael - I think the chapter answered your question. I'll explain it here too for a more condensed less fluffy version. Janna used to be the Star Guardian, along with her team original team, this took place a year ago on the same world as the story. When she broke Malz's heart, he became the prophet and got revenge. Filled with anger and greif Janna threw herself onto a vengeful path. Seeing as this would only lead to disaster, Janna gave up her power and consequently her memories. The First Star stalled against the Void while she seeked out another guardian team to replace the one that she lost. Finding Lux, the First Star also brought back Janna, hoping for her to redeem herself.

See you all soon. Love you, bye!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Soooo I still don't own League of Legends, but I did buy some new skins. Can you guess which ones?

A/N: Hey look at that, I made it within 2 months this time. Not bad If I do say so myself. Now I'm gonna talk about the obvious here for a second. THE NEW STAR GUARDIANS SKINS! WHOA! The hype returns! I definitely need to add them into a future story, especially now that we got a cool PvE mode to draw inspiration from. Really love Ezreal and Ahri. Ahri's interactions make it seem like she'll butt heads with Lux constantly. And Ezreal looks like the cocky cool senpai.

My head is a buzz with the possibilities.

Anyways, that's all for now on with the show~!

* * *

Jinx was having an all around bad day…

She winced again as she saw her body take the brunt of a light explosion. The spell pushed her body back into a stumble. Only agility Jinx didn't know she possessed kept her body on its feet. All the while Jinx never let up on the trigger on her minigun. The spray of bullets kept the anxious Poppy away. With a flick of the wrist Jinx's body pulled out a pistol that looked like it was made from a tesla coil, and shot it at Lux. The Pink Guardian dove behind a car for cover, the electricity washed over the metal and it made Lux creep back in fear of being shocked through contact. With her out of the way, Jinx's body turned to Poppy, who was skirting around the side of her vision. The small lull in the bulletstorm let her move freely for the briefest of moments. If Jinx was slower she would have made it into her blind spot. Too bad for her. Jinx brought out the rocket launcher on her back. The weapon looked like it was suppose to resemble a shark. Her finger grazed against the trigger when a halo of light surrounded her. The binding spell was searing hot and it kept her from moving. When Jinx looked over to Lux she noticed her baton spinning freely in front of her. The faster it spun the more light built up around it.

The light that erupted from the baton was blinding, considering it was Lux's most powerful spell that was a given. Everything in Jinx's vision was blown out to white. Poppy hide behind her shield to protect her eyes. When she peeked past it she was surprised to see Jinx, wide manic smile plastered on her face, still standing with that ridiculous rocket launcher pointed toward Lux. Poppy wasted no time and charged right to Lux. Her shoulder dug into her comrade's stomach, pushing her to safety as the rocket whizzed right past them. The shockwave kicked up debris, after so many impacts the road looked almost indiscernible. Only hot asphalt and what's left of the cars littered around them. Lux was breathing heavy on the ground, staring at Jinx with disbelief.

"That should have purged the Void in her heart…" She said weakly. Struggling she pushed her way back to her feet. Just in time to summon her light barrier. The hail of bullets pinned her to the ground as she strained to keep the shield intact from the unrelenting assault.

Poppy hopped away and let her shield fly from her hand. It arced in the air until it hit the barrel of the minigun. The roar of the gun tipped back, unleashing round after round in the air. Seeing the opening Poppy picked up the pace, she ran in a dead sprint to close the gap between her and the gun toting girl. No longer patient, she took the blunt approach. Jinx was quicker. She back pedaled away from Poppy, her smirk mocking the little yordle. As she backed away, she pointed to Poppy's feet. Chancing a glance, Poppy looked and saw a trio of grenades lying right where Jinx was a moment ago. Before they went off Jinx blew a raspberry imitating a cartoon roadrunner while she ran. Her laugh made the vein in Poppy's forehead thrum in anger.

Lulu soared into the fight, her grip on her staff white knuckle tight. Quickly she ordered Pix to throw up a protective shield around Poppy, though the shockwave still sent the blue haired yordle flying back and into a car. Lulu spared a glance to see Poppy throw up a weak thumbs up, and she nodded back. She had joined the fight late, Ekko was adamant about helping Jinx. She only rejoined the fight once he promised her that he'd to stay put. Out the corner of her eye she saw Lux build up a ball of light at the end of her staff.

"What happened? Why is she still under his control?" Lulu readjusted her grip. In an instant Pix was back by her side, his tiny wings keeping him aloft somehow.

"I don't know." Lux said, there was a faint hint of worry in her voice.

Jinx, not her body but the astral projection floating just behind her body, flew circles around her body. She was still going on this rampage, the guardian's spell did nothing! She turned to the two creatures who were her only companions at the moment as they were the only two who could see and hear her. "I'm not in control! I'm still shooting up the street like some loser who got his confession rejected!"

"Yeah strange…" - "Very stra-"

"Say something helpful!" Jinx yelled at the two, cutting one of them off abruptly.

"Use the power given by the First Star." - "You-"

"For the last goddamn time! I. Don't. Know. What the hell. That. IS!" Jinx yelled, for the umpteenth time. It felt like she was talking to a wall, two dumb floating walls. Jinx rubbed her temples. She took a long deep breath, she didn't even know if she even technically had lungs in her current form. The motion helped her calm down. Okay, so it didn't actually calm her down. What else could she do though? Cursing mentally she turned to look at the two creatures floating nearby. "What is this First Star bull you two are blathering about?" She wanted to slap herself for even asking.

The white one smiled while the black one smirked as they each shared a glance. Jinx honestly didn't like either of the looks they were giving her.

"You have been chosen." - "Destined for a great purpose."

Jinx waved her hands, halting the two's triad before it could really begin. "Short version. I don't really have, you know, the TIME for the whole sales pitch."

"Aww…" - "Alright! Kind of didn't want to yammer on anyways." - "Now we'll have to figure out another way to raise the word count." - "Scene Break!"

* * *

Malzahar felt the pulse of power emanating from the magic tome. It hadn't taken long to find once he knew it was in this room. He flipped through the pages, each on filled with a sketch and description of the soul residing in the ink. Malzahar had taken care not to completely strip the victim of their soul. It was a slower process, he had to drain more people to get the same amount of power if he had killed one. But no, he didn't want to accidentally gain the attention of the guardians if he started killing freely. Now was another story. He was still short two souls, once found he can open a stable enough portal to the Void. Just two more.

The building shook when a rocket hit too close to the building. Malzahar stepped to the window and peered out of the curtains. Jinx was holding her own pretty well, he should have taken control of her a lot sooner if he knew she would be this effective. He noticed all but one of the guardians was present. The thought of Janna made him sigh. Later, he'll figure out what to do later. Willing himself to bring his thoughts back to the present Malzahar decided that today he'll make the smart choice and retreat. If the guardians believe he's still in the building then they'll stick around and fight. Jinx will fight until her body can no longer. All the while he will slip out the back undetected.

Quickly moving to the opposite end of the building Malzahar found a suitable room to make his exit. The window here opened to the back alley connecting the other buildings on this block. Quietly Malzahar slid open the window and jumped out. His fall slowed by his magic. When he reached the ground he flew low, almost skidding the asphalt. The fighting was still roaring through the city. Malzahar was giving it a wide berth. His leg and arm was still in no shape to fight. Through the passing alleyways he caught glimpses of the guardians. It amazed him how well Jinx resisted being purged of the Void infecting her mind. After this is over he might pay her another visit, someone like her might possess a strong soul.

When the fight became nothing but an echo Malzahar halted. He took one long breath and let his robes burn away so he was just Ala'aldeen once again. The last thing he needs is for someone to catch a glimpse of him flying away. With classes out now, word of his location can spread quickly if a schoolmate like Ahri spots him. Slipping the book into his bag, Ala'aldeen started to walk down the street. He was out of his uniform, no one from school would recognize him, but why take the risk?

...

Janna pressed a hand down onto Ezreal's leg, adding pressure to his wound to keep it from bleeding through the makeshift bandages they made out of a spare uniform shirt. Even though his face told her otherwise, he tried to reassure Janna that it didn't hurt. To be safe, she poured a bit of her magic to speed the healing process. Lux would appreciate it. They were taking refuge in a small park just a ways off from the school. "Alright you should be okay." She said as she finished tying off the bandage. "This should stop the bleeding. Keep pressure on it and I think you're good for now."

Ezreal let out a strained sigh. "That's a relief, I thought we would have to cut it off…" He laughed weakly at his own joke. Janna nodded quietly and looked to where the fighting would be.

Silence momentarily dropped between the two. The Freljordian teens decided it'd be best that they get help, Tryndamere wanted to get the police while Ashe wanted to get a medic for Ezreal. Both were good ideas, but the couple didn't want to part, not while Jinx was running around. Instead Olaf and Sejuani volunteered to go. That left Ezreal and Janna sitting on the way side. The blond was in no shape to move anyways. Neither was Olaf, his limp told the others so, but the guy was just as stubborn as his best friend. So Sejauni said nothing and took him to find the nearest police station.

Slowly Ezreal stood up and made his way to the nearby swing set. It was better than sitting in the grass, even if grass stains were the least of his troubles. "C'mon, the others might take a while. Might as well get comfortable."

…

 _Stay here, leave it to us... yeah right._ Ekko said mockingly in his head. Okay so maybe there was a nagging voice in the back of his head telling him this was a dumb idea. But Ekko wasn't the kind of kid to leave a friend behind. Especially Jinx. Just as soon as that too bubbly Star Guardian left Ekko ran after her. Stupid flying magic, he'd have to run all the way back now.

After he crossing the third street and almost getting hit by a car for the second time Ekko ducked into an alleyway. The back streets like this sprawled out to every nook and cranny in Valoran. He could skip any foot traffic and actual traffic that might get in his way. The problem was that they were incredibly windy and to be honest he didn't know if he was saving time going this way.

Still he had already made up his mind, he's going to help his fri-

Ekko smacked into someone right as he exited the alleyway, like it was some cheap anime cliche. He stumbled to the ground and whoever he ran into barely took a step back. Ekko rubbed his head and cursed to himself. "Ugh, sorry." He looked over to see his upperclassmen. Al-, Al-something. Who knows. Ekko was only a first year, and he was a third year.

"It's fine." Ala'aldeen said staring weirdly at Ekko. Like he saw right through the boy and into something deeper. "What's your hurry?" He asked as he looked around the street. There were still some people milling around.

Ekko stood up, patting the dirt off of his pants, "Listen, I got no time to talk, I gotta go." Before Ala'aldeen could say otherwise Ekko ran across the street and into another alleyway.

This was too easy. Pausing for only a moment to not make it suspicious, Ala'aldeen ran after Ekko. He closed the gap in mere seconds. They rounded a corner when Ekko heard the sound of footsteps following after him. Growing up in Zaun made Ekko extra sensitive to the sounds of trouble. One too many times had he gotten jumped by some punks from a rival middle school for him not to tense up. He skid to a halt and had his fists raised up in a fighting stance. He whirled around and saw the empty alley behind him. "Wha-?" A cold presence loomed behind him and Ekko turned again, throwing a haymaker at whoever snuck up on him. Ala'aldeen caught the fist and twisted it so hard and fast it threw Ekko off balance. Words died in Ekkos throat, as if something else was there suffocating him. He felt like he was going to throw up, his stomach churned and his head swam. His vision filled with some crazy green light. It flew out of his mouth and into Ala'aldeen's awaiting palm. Each passing second was as if he had his head held underwater for way too long.

Once he was done Ekko fell to the ground like his whole body was made of jello. He could barely muster the strength to roll over let alone get to his feet.

Ala'aldeen looked at the crystal in his hand, it shone very bright and carried a wealth of power to it. It made the prophet smile. He brought the book out from his bag and unceremoniously threw the soul into one of the blank pages. With a thump he slammed the book shut, a small brief flash of light erupted between the pages. Ekko groaned, his eyes were glazed over and he looked so worn down he was about to pass out in the grim right then and there. He pushed himself onto his knees and Ala'aldeen was surprised by the kid's resolve. Kneeling down so he could see him eye to eye, Ala'aldeen patted Ekko on the face. "Go back home, say nothing, else I will return for the rest of your soul." Ala'aldeen left the alleyway the way he came in. He rejoined the people on the street who were none the wiser of his malicious action.

For a moment Ekko stayed on his knees, then his body kicked into auto pilot. His brain was a haze as a deep depression pulled at his spirit. Barely going through the motions. His arms felt heavy as if the bones themselves gained thousands of pounds and his chest felt hollow and ached like there was not enough space for emptiness inside. Pressing a hand against the wall Ekko pushed himself up to feet. He made it two steps, then fell against the wall opposite. His eyes were cast down, staring at ground… where a weird purple stain had accumulated. Following up the trail the stain had left on its trek down, Ekko could trace the cracks in the brick wall and see where the paint had made its mark. _Jinx._ Something rang in his head yelling at him telling him that she was really really important to him. Why, he didn't know. Just that right at this moment he needed to find her. Slowly, pushing past the heavy weight in his arms, and the trudge of his feet. Ekko started heading toward Jinx's dorm building.

* * *

Jinx, astral projection Jinx, crossed her legs and assumed the best monk/yoga pose she could muster. "Okay okay, focus, accept the call of the First Star, etcetera etcetera." She let out one long breath and floated her way towards her body. She floated into it and for a second she honestly thought it was going to work. Then Poppy swept the crazy girl's legs out from under her with the haft of that giant ass hammer of hers. "Grrr, ugh! Stupid little-" Jinx looked at the two spirit guardians whatevers, and gestured to the Star Guardians fighting her body. "Tell them to cool their jets! I can't become one with myself if I'm getting my stupid ass kicked now can I?"

"This isn't tetris" - "Yea Miss 'Square-peg-in-round-hole', you can't just match your movements." - "There's more to answering the call than just picking up the phone." - "It's about accepting-"

"UGH!" Jinx wanted to slam her head into something solid, but as she is incorporeal right at this moment, that seemed impossible as joining her mind and body. "I AM a guardian right? This isn't some joke is it? I get it. I'm suppose to fight against evil, yadda yadda, and protect the world from devastation.

"To unite all people-" - "No we're not doing that bit… not yet at least." - "Awww..."

Jinx rubbed her temples. "And people call me the crazy one… How come I can't do this?" Jinx watched as her body kicked Poppy's knee making the yordle buckle and slam her hammer no where near Jinx. As Poppy tried to reel her hammer back for another attack, Jinx pressed the tesla gun to her neck and fired. Electricity jolted all throughout Poppy's body and the poor yordle fell to the ground unconscious.

Jinx stood over the yordle when a lance of glittery magic cut against her arm. She saw Lulu hovering nearby, taking careful aim to line up her next shot. Not wanting to get hit again, Jinx dove over Poppy's body, scooping up her shield while she was at it and in one swift motion threw it like a frisbee as she rolled onto her feet. Lulu yelped and ducked, her hands wrapping around her head and pressing her ears flat. The shield sailed right over her, and right to Lux who was wide eyed in surprise.

Lux had never broken her nose before, but if she had to guess, she was sure it was broken now. Her head rocked back as soon as the shield made contact. The momentum of her run still carried her body forward. So when the shield struck it almost made her body parallel to the ground, and her back slammed onto the hard asphalt. Blood clotted in her nostrils and breathing became extremely hard. Not only that but pain erupted all through her face. She heard a muffled cry from Lulu and Pix was instantly by her side, right as she blacked out. Though since neither had any healing magic there was little they could do. To the newest recruit of the guardians, this looked like a downhill battle. Their spells seemingly had no effect on their adversary, much to the surprise of everyone here. And Jinx was proving that she was more than a match for these guardians. With Poppy and Lux down, there was only one choice Lulu thought she could take.

A tactical retreat. Momentarily regroup and figure out a plan.

Lulu grabbed Lux, slinging the much taller girl over her shoulder, and held her staff in the other hand. With a bit of effort she let her staff take her forward. She zipped to Poppy, who lay only a foot from Jinx. Lulu saw Jinx swing the minigun off her hip and point it towards her. The barrel spun up to speed as Lulu closed the gap between them. Pix raised his shield around the duo as they passed the possessed girl. The scream of each bullet passed too close for comfort, and in some cases they skidded against the shield leaving angry gashes in their wake. Lulu let her staff fly as low to the ground as she could and scooped Poppy up into her other shoulder. Poppy's grip on her hammer was tight, impossible for her to let go. The hammer dragged behind them as they flew away.

Jinx, didn't want to let them get away. She had a job to do and master's orders to follow. She let go of her minigun and it fell back to her hip. She reached for her rocket launcher and loaded in some special ammo, saved for a special occasion. With one eye closed she took careful aim. Excitedly she licked her lips, and grinned, this was going to be good. Jinx held the trigger down on her rocket launcher. Fire erupted behind her before a split second later the largest rocket she had ever fired raced forward with terrifying speed.

Lux awoken, her face still ached and she couldn't breathe comfortably. Her eyes saw the street racing below her feet and she felt a bout of vertigo. Trying not to lose her sense of balance too much, Lux forced her gaze up. What she saw made her yell. "Lulu, swerve!"

Lulu half turned her head, catching a glimpse of the rocket in her peripheral vision. Her body was already making the turn when another voice caught her attention. Poppy's. The yordle came to the same time as Lux. Though her gaze was deadlocked on the street ahead. Something was coming out of an alleyway a block or two ahead, and they were coming up to it fast. When she was able to finally make out the figure walking in a half daze Lux was already yelling for Lulu to take evasive action. Poppy was too focused on the person standing in the way to listen to their leader. "Ekko! MOVE!"

From her point of view, Astral Jinx couldn't catch all the details but she could still feel her stomach drop when she saw the miniature mushroom cloud go up.

Lux pulled herself free from Lulu's grasp, her body free falling for a split second before she touched asphalt. She rolled with the motion as best she could. It still made her body explode in pain as she couldn't roll fast enough to distribute the momentum evenly. Cuts raked across her arms and shoulders and there was a massive bruise already forming where she took the brunt of the landing. Still, Lux kept her wits about her and jumped to her legs as quickly as she could. She used all the power she could to raise a shield to block the rocket from her friends.

Lulu turned sharply, her control over her flight instantly lossed as her attention was split in three different ways. Lux had just jumped free and even now Poppy pulled away to fly straight to Ekko. Why was he even here? Lulu didn't know who to pay attention to, she tumbled mid flight her vision swirling around like a top trying desperately to regain control.

Poppy tackled Ekko, turning almost ninety degrees to get out of the path of the rocket. They landed in a heap together, rolling one of the other in a tangle of limbs and bruises. She shielded the teen with her body, hoping her armor was sturdy enough to save them from the coming explosion if Lux or Lulu couldn't protect them.

* * *

Ezreal locked and unlocked his phone nervously. Checking it constantly for some kind of update on the Star Guardian. He half hoped Ahri was sneaking around the scene just so he could make sure Lux was safe. A quick candid picture of her fighting and winning would set his mind at ease. He looked over to Janna who looked just as lost in thought as he was. "I'm sure the Star Guardians have the whole thing under control." He said at last, breaking the silence that hung around them.

"Oh I'm sure…" Janna said, then a strangled laugh escaped her mouth, "Is it strange that I'm not worried?"

Her words made Ezreal's brows furrow in confusion. "I- uh, yeah, yeah it kinda is." He looked off in the direction the fighting was happening and stared. The trees of the park wafted in a light breeze. Doing little to distract his mind. Right now Lux and the other guardians are fighting as he sat here talking to her upperclassmen. "I mean, Jinx is like possessed right now. Attacking everyone in sight. I'm, I'm like a ball of nothing but nerves right now."

Janna nodded along with him even if it was out of his sight. "I'm strangely confident they're going to be fine." Janna pushed her feet into the dirt, rocking the swing she sat in stiffly.

"There's something else on your mind, isn't there?" Ezreal asked. He didn't know where this was coming from. He wasn't close to Janna. Not enough to ask personal questions like this anyways.

"Boy troubles…" Janna said simply, her eyes staring up at the single star shining in the evening sky. "I'm a third year, and sometimes third years forget they're not entirely an adult and not entirely a kid either. They're stuck between trying to do what is most responsible, what is expected of them… and stuck trying to capture the last bit of their childhood."

"Well you certainly sound like an adult." Ezreal said. Not realizing the fact that while Janna herself had not experienced them, her soul had lived through countless lives already. "Um, I'm not really good with this whole 'real talk' sorta thing."

"I know, Lux had told me how you mostly quote Caitlyn when you have trouble thinking of the right words." Janna smiled at Ezreal, looking away from the lone star in the sky. "I'd appreciate it if you listen. Get your opinion." She paused only long enough for Ezreal to respond with a nod. Telling her he'll try his best. "What would you have done if Lux decided to end your relationship-"

"Ah, um, we're not, um… dating"

"Even still. You've noticed how she started to keep you at arm's length, I fear I might have given her the wrong advice… and I don't want what happened to my relationship happen to yours. Especially when it hadn't even started yet."

"Um, I don't know," That was the truth, he believed he was making the right choice, though he hardly thought his and Lux's situation as similar to Janna's and Al's. With the whole Guardianship thing and all. "I don't, um… I don't want to be that kind of person, the kind that puts their own feelings before their friends, but, like, I can't be totally selfless at the same time." Ezreal bit his lip, trying best to put the feelings in his head out at words. "I will respect whatever Lux chooses, and you know, as a friend try to be supportive. I also want to tell her that if she ever does need me, I'm not gonna go anywhere… and..." Ezreal's head dipped and he wondered when he started acting like a generic anime protagonist. "...and I should probably just tell her how I feel…"

"I'll tell her that, the first half at least, I still have something I need to talk to her about." Janna said, feeling a little better now that she talked to Ezreal. Lux really can pick them. Maybe she herself was over thinking this. Her thoughts strayed back to Malzahar. If only she could somehow talk to him. No barrier as a guardian or a prophet, just two high schoolers like they used to be, maybe she could actually bring him back from the void… The First Star had given Janna a second chance, and maybe the reason for that was so that she would be able to give Malzahar a chance of redemption. Malzahar had made his decision, he had crossed a line she couldn't forgive nor will she ever. While her emotions hurt and her memories stung, she had to move on. She will save his loss soul from the void and nothing more. He didn't deserve her forgiveness, but he also didn't deserve his fate.

The explosion sent a shockwave through the street. It was so powerful that Janna and Ezreal felt their ears pop from the shockwave. The trees around the park shook violently, and the nesting birds fled into the air. That was not a good sign. Janna sprang to her feet, forgetting that Ezreal was beside her. It felt like he just took a Vi punch straight to the chest and he had a look of dread on his face. Janna started to run towards the noise, and Ezreal was about to get to his own feet when she yelled back at him. "Stay right there. I'll be right back."

Janna let the magic flow into her feet, granting her extra speed as she ran further down the street towards the dorm building. She saw the mini mushroom cloud. That attack was much stronger than any she had seen before. Once she was clear of the park, away from prying eyes she let the magic of the First Star overwhelm her. Transforming to a Star Guardian. She prayed that the others were alright. She was stupid to not have tried to get away sooner. If she could have gotten alone, maybe made an excuse, she could have join the fight much sooner. When the transforming light cleared away from her, she summoned her staff, and in two steps she was flying. Like a knife she soared down the street, cutting a precise path pass any onlookers dazed by the explosion and the sight of her. She was so focused that she almost missed him, he was a blur in her peripheral. Ala'aldeen. She stopped in an instant, hovering a few feet away from him. He looked normal, plain, like he always did when they went on their dates. He was surprised to see her. Then his jaw tightened, and a sneer rose to his face.

"Go save your precious Guardians, forget about me like you always do." He said, sharp and laced with venom and sadness.

Janna turned to look where the dark smoky cloud marred the sky. The only sign of the destruction this far away. Her own jaw tightened, "Al…" There was an uncomfortable pause, a silence that hung a little too long. "You said you had already forgiven me… did you forget?" She looked back to him, their eyes locking onto one another.

"I had and hadn't." He shifted his weight from one leg to the other, crossing his arms over his chest. "That was then, when I thought you had changed, but you showed me once more, you still hold me second to your gaurdianship."

"That was before I realized I should had treasured our friendship more than I had." Janna, rose in the air. "As a friend, I want to ask you to please end this. You had taken everything from me once before, and you're trying again. I will not let that happen a second time. If you don't stop I will be the guardian you hate me to be."

Ala'aldeen growled and tore his gaze away from her face, "You could had stop… destiny be damned, you could had come back to me and ended it all long before any of this turmoil started."

"I had a duty. Still do."

"And that is exactly why I cannot stop either." Ala'aldeen felt the void magic gather in his hands. "Here we are though, once again, a second chance. You can stop me… if you just choose."

* * *

Lux only heard a high pitch ring as her mind was brought back from unconsciousness. Her vision was doubled and they floated around only sporadically coming together long enough for Lux to notice the fire and cracks in the asphalt. She arced her back, noticing for the first time she was propped against a car, a car with a large dent in the side the same size and shape as herself. She sat up, and braced her arm on the ground to steady herself. Only for it to shoot a wave of pain like angry static. Her arm was broken. She didn't know if it was fractured or if the joint was dislocated. All she knew was that it hurt. She stifled a whimper, and forced her way up to her feet. Her legs barely held herself up. The cuts on them were many and she saw a bruise that almost covered one side entirely. She remember she was quick enough to at least shield herself and stand in the path of the rocket. The others… Lux quickly looked around.

Lulu was on the ground, Pix hovering around her anxiously. The little yorlde, who was honestly too innocent to fight evil, was lying motionless on the ground. Her chest rose in uneven breathes, at least she was breathing. Lux grunted in pain and took heavy steps over to her fallen comrade. When Lux laid a hand on her, Lulu's eyes snapped open, panic and fear overwhelming her instincts. She sprang up, sitting upright so quickly that the mere motion made her go into a coughing fit. Some blood stained her white gloves. The girl grit her teeth and wiped her mouth with her forearm. She put on a brave front, even though she was hurting. When the coughing subsided she looked to Lux and they smiled. They were mostly okay. "Where's Poppy?" Lulu asked.

They turned and saw their friend. Poppy was on the ground, one arm clutching her side where her armor was dented, and the other arm protectively shielded an unconscious Ekko from… Jinx. The tall girl stood over the two, eyes locked onto the young boy. Poppy's hammer was barely out of reach, she couldn't get to it without falling over onto her side. Time stood still for everyone. They stared uselessly unable to tell their bodies to act, too stunned that Jinx was already here.

Astral Jinx stared in shock. Her best friend got stuck in the crossfire and it was her fault he had gotten hurt. What the hell, what was he even doing here? That green guardian took him far away didn't she? Was suppose to protect him, right? She felt fire erupt in her veins. Her real veins, not this spirit projection bullshit. Her mind was filled anger and she saw her body clench her hands into fists, so tight that her nails drew blood from her palms. This was not suppose to happen. The stupid guardians were suppose to put a stop to her already. Hell she was a guardian wasn't she, why didn't she just stop herself? This is not fair.

"Fighting evil isn't about glory, and kicking ass. " - "You have to be willing to be self-sacrificing. To protect those you find" - "Precious." - "It's more than accepting you're a guardian." - "It's accepting the responsibility that comes with it."

"Is he alright?" Jinx was surprised when she heard her voice, strained and forced, come from her own mouth. HER mouth. She was back in her body! Her head snapped to the two spirits floating nearby now vaguely transparent, then to the blue guardian on the ground, waiting on edge for her answer. The guardian placed a hand onto Ekko's chest without breaking eye contact with Jinx's body. She felt the weak rise and fall of his breathe, and she nodded.

Jinx let out a sigh, which was way too heavy in her lungs. "Holy crap, he's okay." The momentary wash of relief made way to fiery anger once again. "That purple robbed son of a bitch is gonna pay."

Poppy's eyes widened, apparently she started to notice that Jinx was also regaining control of her body. Poppy shifted upright, wincing in pain when she put too much weight on her side.

Jinx saw in the corner of her eye the pink guardian building up another one of her spells. Finally regaining her sense enough to act. Jinx locked eyes with her and saw the girl tense up. She was looking carefully at her eyes. When Lux didn't see the purple haze that normally appeared when a person was possessed by Malzahar's magic, she relaxed.

With some effort Jinx used her mental strength to drop the weapons strapped around her body. She still looked half transformed. "Okay, not perfect but we're getting somewhere." She said a little out of breath. Jinx turned to the two spirits and smirked. "Responsibility or not. I'm gonna kicked that bastard's ass. He messed with my friend."

Lux shared a confused look with Poppy and Lulu, who didn't know who Jinx was talking to. Slowly the guardian walked over Jinx, seeing a haze around her. She stared intently at her as if she was studying her. "You're spirit is misaligned from your body. Maybe this is why we couldn't purge the void from your heart." She looked over to Poppy who gave her a shrug from her position on the ground. She wasn't the type for deep thinking. Lulu on the other hand rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Veigar had explained something like this when he describe a person's soul. If a soul is completely drained from a body then the person dies.

"So do you think Malzahar did this specifically to stop us from reverting Jinx back to normal?" Lulu asked.

"No that's not it." came a voice from above. Everyone looked and saw Janna landing gracefully between everyone. "You weren't able to purge the void form her heart because she is the next Star Guardian. The light bestowed upon her by the First Star inadvertently acted as a shield against your spells. We cannot harm another Guardian, not really. When a person is taken over by Malzahar's magic their soul is usually trapped inside, compressed and subjugated. Jinx's soul, while still trapped, found a way to express itself."

There was silence all around as each guardian took a turn to look at Jinx. Not entirely believing Janna's words. Poppy was the first to speak up, "You gotta be kidding me."

"Nope, no joke." Jinx said. Getting more antsy by the second. "I'm a Star Guardian, and we have some butt to kick. So let's get going already."

Janna's brows furrowed as she looked at Jinx's void infected body. She wasn't entirely free just yet. "We can't."

"Why not?" Both Jinx and Poppy asked. One with a little more an accusatory tone.

Lux stepped up to her friend's defense, "Look at us. We are in no shape to fight. Even after we get healed. And Jinx…" The blue haired girl crossed her arms, already not liking the tone the girl had. "Jinx is still not fully awakened. She knows of her destiny and yet… she hadn't transformed." Lux looked to Janna, "I'm assuming she'll only be freed from his influence when she fully awakens?" Janna nodded, her head cast down, confirming Lux's theory.

"Well what do we do then?" Poppy asked, "You aren't suggesting we actually let that jerk get that book of his? I say we try and take him. We have to at least try." She looked to Lulu for support. The younger yordle bit her lip looking over to Lux and then Jinx.

"He's already gone." Janna said in a quiet voice, not meeting anyone's eyes. She tapped her staff onto the ground and healing wind surrounded her. Relief spread throughout the wounded. Lux's cuts sealed and the bruise on her leg shrank into nothing. Lulu's ragged breathing evened out and became less laboured. Poppy rolled her shoulder out and was able to get to her feet with no problem. "On my way to you, I… crossed paths with him, but I chose not to confront him."

Lux nodded along. "You were more worried about our well being." She cut the coming argument before it could start. This let Janna raise her head a little higher, glad she could count on Lux. "Then our choice is already settled. We regroup, heal up-"

"I call bullshit." Jinx said. "I get that you're the team leader and whatever, but you can't really expect us to ignore the fact we're letting this asshole get away right?" She looked to Poppy, "I agree with Short Fuse down there." If Poppy was offended by the nickname she didn't care. Jinx was agreeing with her.

Lux pinched the bridge of her nose, tired already. "And what? You've little control over your body, or the abilities bestowed upon you by the First Star, and you" She gestured to Poppy, "you are unable to fly, last time you got in a fight without back up he stayed out of your reach and whittled you down. I won't risk the safety of my teammates when we have a better shot once we had a chance to at least think."

"I don't care." Jinx said. "That jerked attacked me, and put me in some psycho mind control. I even hurt my friend cause of him. Ekko is-" Jinx looked down to where Ekko was for the first time and noticed he was still lying on the ground. The words on Jinx's lips died the moment she saw him. He was alive, yes, but… his eyes… they were glazed over, like he was in some kind of half trance. Apathetic to the world around him. He barely responded when she called out his name. He only looked over to her with the slowest of movements. "Ekko…?"

Everyone's attention went to where Ekko laid. Lux and Poppy looked to Janna who shook her head. Her healing magic would have taken care of any wounds he would have sustained, there shouldn't be any reason for his lethargic state. Lulu went right to his side, kneeling down next to his body. She could feel something, something familiar. She felt this before. During that moment when Malzahar attacked her and Veigar in the alleyway, and once again in her dorm room. "His soul, it's missing."

Jinx looked to Janna, jumping to conclusions, looking for an outlet to her anger. She didn't even notice that her hand was tightening around the mini gun's handle. Lux stepped right in front of her cutting the girl off before she does anything drastic. "It was Malzahar doing, he's been collecting souls. We don't know why." That didn't seem to calm her down at all, it instead redirected the girl to whom she should really be angry at. Adding even more fuel to fire. Lux still stood in her way, holding her arm down to stop it from using that mini gun. "You can't fight him, not yet." Her gaze locked onto Jinx's red eyes, not backing down in the least. She didn't let go until Jinx's arm stopped struggling to move. The girl huffed and stood angrily with her arms stiff at her sides, fists balled tight.

"You better have a way to help Ekko." Jinx said, her eyes narrowing into sharp slits.

* * *

Janna walked back to the park, her form returned to normal once the others decided to part ways. There was a medic attending to Ezreal's leg and the blonde boy frantically waved to her. She picked up the pace and noticed that the Freljordian teens weren't here. Ezreal quickly explained that they had already left, wondering where she was. She nodded understanding that she had taken much longer than she anticipated. She saw that the medic attending him was by himself, packing up their supplies now that he was finished with Ezreal's leg. The man nodded to Janna, "I still need to talk to the kid, he's isn't hurt too bad and, uh, we need to know what exactly did this. Your other friends also informed the police. They're checking out the building as we speak."

Janna nodded, and stepped aside to wait. The two talked a while longer. Ezreal squirmed like he was under some kind of interrogation. Even if he had no part in what was going on, he felt somewhat guilty because he knew more than he let on.

When the guy finally left Ezreal rushed to Janna's side. "Well? Is Lux okay?"

Janna's brow furrowed. "She wasn't there." She lied, used to covering her own tracks about guardian business.

Ezreal's mind went blank for a second, it had completely slipped his mind that Lux wouldn't be there, only the Star Guardians and that was also speculation on his part. His thoughts back pedaled and he slap himself on the forehead. "Right, what am thinking of course she wasn't." He laughed awkwardly. "Guess my nerves got the better of me."

"...yes, I think they had." Janna stared at him, and he refused to look her in the face. He kept trying to keep his gaze anywhere else instead of her accusatory stare. _He knows._ Janna thought to herself. She let off her gaze letting the boy breath. _I need to keep a close eye on him._

 _..._

Poppy and Lulu trudge back to their own dorm. Poppy was still upset at Lux's decision. She is half convinced that Lux is only covering for Janna, her magic let's them take a beating and get back in the fight, why couldn't they get right to tracking down the jerk? And honestly, who thought Jinx would make a half decent Star Guardian. Granted that she's pretty new to all this, even she would know that the truant would be as reliable as a broken clock.

Lulu nudged her friend in the side. "You're angry." Lulu held Pix a little tighter in her arms.

"Of course I'm angry, we lost. We lost because Jinx couldn't figure out she's a Guardian, she could've helped us stop Malzahar but instead she stopped us from stopping him. AND and, Janna! She said she saw him! If I were her I would have-" Poppy punched her palm repeatedly for emphasis. "You know?"

Lulu pressed her face closer into Pix's fur. "I'm guessing you've never loved someone before…"

Poppy raised an eyebrow at Lulu. Then huffed. "What did that have to do with anything?" So what if Malzahar was her ex or whatever. The bastard BETRAYED her. There is no leniency there.

Lulu shook her head, "People are blinded to the obvious when they're in love. They end up doing stupid things. Janna still needs to work through her feelings."

They stopped when they reached the steps to their dorm. Waiting patiently on the stoop, because he wasn't allowed inside, was Veigar. He had his head buried deep into a book, unaware of the two close by. As Poppy turned to ask Lulu what Veigar would be doing here, the younger yordle picked up her pace and practically leap towards him.

"Veigar!" Lulu said happily. The black furred yordle jumped when her heard his name. He grumbled under his breath to hide his smile, as Lulu came to his side. He stood and tucked a bookmark to hold his place as his attention switched over to Lulu.

Poppy shook her head, she had enough with her love struck teammates. If they couldn't handle things, then she'd take matters into her own hands, she was as much of a Star Guardian as any of them. She pushed passed the two and headed straight to her room. She'll need to get as much sleep as she could, come tomorrow she's skipping classes and going on a hunt.

...

Lux stood in her room across from a sitting Jinx. It took some coaxing before Jinx finally calmed down enough. They helped Ekko back to the dorm building. Seemed that while the fight led further away from the building the police had arrived, rather late like usual. They were talking to some students who had come out the woodworks after noticing that the fighting had ended. It took some doing before the two girls were able to sneak inside without being harassed by the police. Ekko went straight to his room without a fuss and laid down onto his bed in a daze. Jinx wanted to do something more and Lux knew it, sadly there was nothing they could do. Not now at least, maybe once they get the book back they can start working to help all those affected by Malzahar's magic. The two returned to Lux's room. Thankfully Malzahar hadn't wrecked her room too much. The desk was a mess and so was the closet. It was only books and clothes strewn about, nothing irreplaceable, everything else was left untouched. Lux insisted that she take a look at Jinx, while her abilities were more based in light and illusion magic, she could still sense the foul void magic lingering in Jinx and wanted to help in any way she could. The blue haired girl still moved stiffly, it was like there was a half a second of lag between the thought and the action. Which there was. Jinx had to put more effort into thinking her body to move unless it involved some form of violence. Which concerned Lux, Malzahar's orders were still influencing Jinx. Lux's hands were enveloped in magical light, moving over parts of Jinx's body, she hummed in thought.

"Keep your hands where I can see them Miss Goody Two Shoes." Jinx said as she watched Lux's hands wander higher up on her legs.

Lux suppressed an annoyed blush. "I'm trying to help you, you know. When the others transformed it was because they felt a strong emotion. Some trait or virtue. Poppy had courage to face against her fears and Lulu wanted to protect her friend from making a grave mistake. "

Jinx nodded absently, one hand propping herself up on Lux's bed and the other was playing with the bullet casing belt on her top. She actually kind of liked it. It certainly fit her style that's for sure. Maybe she could make her own whenever this void junk wore off. Wonder what happens to her clothes when she transforms. Do these dweebs think of this stuff when they transform?

"What was going through your mind when you regained control of your body?" Lux said out of the blue. She was kneeling in front of Jinx, and had to look up to her.

"Mostly anger, and revenge craving." Jinx answered honestly. Shrugging and leaning further back onto the bed.

"Not really… virtuous." Lux tapped her chin. "Maybe it was righteous fury? You saw the destruction you caused and thought of the harm and strife it could bring others."

"Sorta. I guess." Jinx said. "Look I'm not gonna sugar coat my feelings. I'm pretty damn selfish. I was mostly thinking I was going to get in a shit ton of trouble and maybe go to jail if you guys didn't stop me."

"...Okay." Lux was starting to losing faith that Jinx really was the next Star Guardian. "How about when you saw Ekko?"

"That was definitely 'murder', if that could be considered a feeling." She said it so matter of fact that it made Lux laugh nervously. Jinx rolled her eyes. "You're telling me none of you guys felt that way? No one is that pure and innocent."

Lux was quiet for a second. "Of course we have." She bit her lip. "Janna looked like she was filled with hate when she first saw him again."

"Yeah what's her deal?"

Lux bit her lip, not wanting to say anything more. "We should check up on Ekko. It's late, and I don't think he has eaten yet. Neither have I for that matter. We can go get out and get some food, my treat."

"Ain't gonna say no to free food." Jinx kicked her legs and swung herself up. Practically springing to her feet.

"Righteous fury, while great, isn't your virtue." - "Nor is it brutal honesty or flirty sarcasm." - "You know why you're not transforming." - "If you just-"

Jinx shut out the voices from her head, they've been bugging her ever since she got control of her body again. They're suppose to be Star Guardian spirits, yet none of the other guardians seem to know of their existence. They can't see or hear them. If she was really being brutally honest, she wanted everyone to just shut up and leave her alone. All she wants to do right now is kill time with Ekko like she always did. Until she figures out how to save him she can't. The other star guardians are her only hope, like it or not.

...

Ala'aldeen returned to his apartment complex. There was a notice taped to his door, something about compensation for the damages caused to the building. He ignored the paper and stepped through into his home. He looked around the spare room, and threw his bag down onto the floor. The empty feeling in his stomach ached, and he fell to his hands and knees.

 _The two stared at each other, not moving as the silence spread between the two. Ala'aldeen waiting for Janna to make her choice. One he knew he wouldn't like the answer to. The guardian's grip on her staff tightened and she shook her head determinedly. "No, Al." she said finally, "I won't choose. All this time you put the blame on me, I broke your heart and I'm sorry that I did, I really am. I should have reached out to you more, treasured your feelings more. And yet you gave me no chance to. You took my friends and allies away because you thought they took me away from you. It was you who made the mistake to take things too far. You let the void consume your soul because your emotions clouded your better judgment." Janna closed her eyes and let out a long slow breath she hadn't noticed she was holding. She took that moment to recenter herself, to stop the quiver rising in her throat. "That's not to say I still don't care for you. In some way I do still love you. Because I still have these feelings for you, I will save you from your own mistake. After, you will move on, we both will."_

 _Janna flew away at that moment, leaving Ala'aldeen standing dumb in the street._

Ala'aldeen's hands scratched the floor and tightened into fists. Void energy leaked out from his hands and spread across the floor until it reached wall to wall and into every corner. The floor and walls creaked under the pressure oozing out of Ala'aldeen. Then it all snapped back to normal. He let out a breath and reigned in his control. He turned to look at his bag, almost autonomously he took out Mejai's tome and started to skim the pages. The book was written in a language lost to him, most of it was nonsense yet if he concentrated hard enough the words become clear. Each section he was able to read he had combed through countless times already. He knew there was an answer in here.

A soul is the accumulation of a person's hopes, desires and emotions. When stripped of the soul, a person becomes only a husk of who they once were. He had done this numerous times already, always stopping short of death to keep the guardians off his trail. He had manipulated and sculpted souls, and he also used his magic to control people into his service before… He needed to test this this theory coming together in his mind. In his hand might be the key to _his_ guardian.

But first, he needed to contact Vel'Koz. The eyesore would no doubt be watching him, the longer he waited to inform him of his reacquisition of Mejai's tome, the worse Vel'Koz mood would get. Slowly Ala'aldeen let the Void magic spread through his body, transforming himself into Malzahar. With a some concentration he shifted planes, returning to the Void.

* * *

A/N: That's a wrap!

We're winding down now. Jinx has sorta joined, she still has a lot of growing to do before she comes into her Gaurdianship. Don't know how many chapters are left, but we are definitely in that final stretch. Thanks you all for sticking it out as long as you all have. I really really appreciate it you guys, every view helps motivate me to keep this sucker going. We're actually closing in on that 1 year publish anniversary. Can't believe almost a whole year had passed since I first started this thing. Real excited now that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (In a good way, don't worry).

Time to answer some questions.

Valguienmas - In my world Jinx and Vi are not sisters. I personally never saw them like that. In my AU, they're more like childhood friends, and they're only childhood friends because they lived next door to each other. This also includes Ekko btw. So here Vi does care for Jinx like any close friend can, but is also really tired of her shit. When they got into highschool they drifted apart, though Jinx still finds the time to bug Vi and Caitlyn, reminding them that they're stuck with her whether they like it or not. Now this includes Lux.

See you all soon. Love you, bye!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own League of Legends, but I'm certain in some parallel universe I might, so there's hoping.

A/N: Ooo boy, so uh, how was that whole year of no updates…? I'M SORRY! Please forgive me! I actually had this thing written up since October, I was just never satisfied with it, there's so many moving parts to this story now! It's becoming more of a game of chess against myself, trying to make sure all the characters are in the right spot, hitting the right plot points. Good news is that it is here now, just in time for it's almost two year anniversary. Give or take 3 months.

Sorry for the delay, without further ado, on with the show~!

* * *

Malzahar felt his arms go numb as the power of the souls fed into the ever growing portal in his apartment. The edges rippled and cracked as the tear between dimensions formed. Noise filled the air around the portal, strangely it was deafening up close and almost muted a few feet away. As if the portal acted as its own sound proofing. As close as Malzahar stood, his ears were filled with static, it was so loud his vision was beginning to tunnel, blurring and darkening around the edges of his peripheral awareness. He could see nothing but Vel'Koz waiting on the other side. There was a bolt of energy that shot forward to Malzahar, he strained as it raced across his arms, enduring it as best he could. From the other side of the rift Vel'Koz watched Malzahar with a critical eye. The light from this world made the giant eye wince, it was far too bright for his liking. They have been at this ritual all night now. Testing how stronger and stronger void creatures handle the shift in planes. Small voidlings handled it fine as they are the creature Malzahar can summon without aid, a strong mature one shrugged off the transition with ease. When Vel'Koz tested the portal with a voidborn xer'sai from Rek'Sai's personal clutch, the portal collapsed when the creature made the initial breach. The ripple in power caused a feedback that crashed into Malzahar, slamming the portal shut. After a second of catching his breath Malzahar reopened a rift. Strong enough to maintain communication and nothing else.

"The portal loses strength the longer it is open. Becoming unstable with each creature that passes through." Vel'Koz said matter of factly.

Malzahar shook his head, "I was running out of energy. Channeling the spell for so long left me exhausted and out of mana."

The void creature stared at the prophet, as if the human had said something completely foreign to Vel'Koz. "The tear opened to another world would naturally heal over time." Vel'Koz started, ignoring the fact that Malzahar had heard this same lecture multiple times already. "It will need to be anchored onto that world's ley lines to firmly secure its stability. Next test-"

"Pick a course of action and stick to it." Malzahar snapped. His sleep deprivation and empty stomach wearing thin on his patience to deal with the void creature. "I can't keep testing stability with all the voidlings you've been sending me and I can't anchor the portal to ley lines, as there are none in my vicinity, at the same time. Not only that, I have been up since midnight and haven't eaten anything." Vel'Koz's eye narrowed at the small prophet before him. Only after realizing that Malzahar just yelled at one of the beings that would kill him without hesitation he mentally back pedaled. "I'm irritated because of the induced stress from extended activity. Do your annoying scan, analyze my vitals." If he presented logical reasoning to his lack of success, Vel'Koz will be more easily persuaded. Thankfully Vel'Koz was the type of void creature not consumed by eternal hunger. Malzahar could feel how Vel'Koz's glare intensified, peering deep into him at an almost anatomical level.

"Accurate assumption. Recover to a suitable level of activity, and locate a set of ley lines to anchor the portal to. Once done we may resume." The portal closed, stopping Malzahar from replying.

Not that he needed to say anything else. He was just about to collapse onto his futon when a thought crossed his mind. _I can't stay here. This will be the first place Janna and the guardians check once they get out of school_. Forcing himself to move he left the apartment, willing his prophet robes to burn away back to his normal street clothes. He winced into the morning sunlight when he noticed it was almost time for classes to start. Lost in thought he kept moving, taking one step after another.

He had not expected Vel'Koz to push forward with opening a portal so soon. He had expected to lay low. Maybe for a day or two, just long enough for the Guardians to lose track of his whereabouts. It wasn't hard to do in such a large dense city. He should've known better though. With how restless the other void creatures have been, even Vel'Koz must have lost patience with the prophet. Now that the end goal was right in their grasp why wait?

 _Because Janna is not mine._ Malzahar hands balled tight. He might have rationalized his thoughts in the past, but now he had long crossed that mental line. Something definitely had snapped in his mind.

Light laughter and quiet voices caught his attention, looking up he noticed familiar faces, all dressed in their uniforms and walking to school. Malzahar laughed to himself, in his sleep deprived state he had walked to school totally on autopilot. Thinking it would be best, Malzahar stayed just in the shadow of a building letting his former schoolmates pass none the wiser. He stepped further back when a familiar sensation pricked at his magic.

Jinx passed by. She pulled Ekko by the hand, his eyes glazed over in a daze and following only when Jinx told him to. The blue haired girl stopped, eyes narrowing when she felt the pit of her stomach drop. She looked to the shadows of the building when Ekko bumped into her. She cursed and shook her head, losing the strange feeling as fast as it came. "C'mon dumbass, I don't care about my grades but you do. And since your brain is all mush, it's on me to at least get you to school." Jinx stepped behind Ekko and pushed him forward. He didn't resist and kept on moving.

Malzahar peeked out onto the street once they left. Off in the distance he caught only a glimpse of the other guardians. He could see Janna talking to Lux and when she turned her head to greet Jinx, he ducked back down into the shadows. For a few seconds he held his breath, cursing at himself that he was acting so recklessly. He counted in his head, waiting for them to just round the corner to confront him. When nothing happened he looked back. He continued to spy on them. If they made any motion to suggest they saw him, he didn't see it. Silently he forced himself to pull away. He needed to get across the street, and start scouting the city. He'll need to find those ley lines as soon as possible. Forcing what little mana he had left, Malzahar enchanted his vision, allowing him to see spectrums of magic. Like how he first hunted those with strong souls.

…

"Janna?" Lux waved a hand in Janna's face, pulling the older girl's attention back to the group. "Something up?"

"I thought I saw someone." Janna mused. A finger came up to her chin as she thought. Her eyes missing Malzahar's by mere seconds.

Lux's brows furrowed, "You don't think…"

"It's possible, Malzahar can move at any moment now that he has that book again." Janna glanced back down to the alleyway, but saw nothing else besides some more students walking their way over to the school. Returning her gaze to the gate she nodded to Lux, a nudge to tell her to head to class. Morning classes were about to start and they were still lingering around.

For Lux school felt almost unnecessary with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Classes were not as challenging as they were before and more often than not have been on the outskirts of her mind. Still, she enjoyed the time where the looming threat of the void wasn't the first thing she thought of. She'll have to formulate a plan of action before the other guardians meet up after clubs. They had little to no leads to track the prophet down. Speaking of guardians, Lux looked over her shoulder to see Jinx distractedly looking into space, her eyes darting left to her right, her face slowly becoming more and more irritated by whatever was keeping her attention. She has been doing that a lot, even during the late dinner Lux treated her and Ekko to, Jinx kept glaring at something in the corner of her eye. Lux was never close to Jinx, so she didn't know if this was just another one of her ticks or maybe a few of those rumors of Jinx's sanity were actually true. The blue haired girl grumbled something under her breath then noticed that Lux was staring at her. Jinx froze for a second then just pushed on through without saying anything. She had almost walked passed Lux if the other girl hadn't tapped her on the shoulder. "Jinx wait."

Sighing she did just that, stopping to face her new leader. "What is it Glitters?"

"We need to talk, uh, later, that is. All of us I mean." Lux said clumsily. "Um, it's kind of our thing for us. We need to plan what we have to-"

Jinx waved her off, "Yeah yeah, got it. Not gonna promise I'll be there, but I got it."

Lux wanted to say more. She never got the chance, as soon as they entered the school building Jinx pulled Ekko passed the lockers and up the stairs that lead to the first year classrooms. Pushing a few classmates out of the way as she went. Lux sighed, making her way to her own locker and changed her shoes. She looked to Janna, hoping she might have some comforting words to say, maybe some advice. What she saw was Lulu hurriedly making her way down the hall to them. The little yordle perked up when she saw Lux, and trotted over to her.

"LUX." Lulu said in a too loud of a voice. It almost sounded a twinge bit worried. "Have you seen Poppy? She usually walks with me to school, but when I went to wake her up she wasn't in her room, so I thought she already went to school, but when I went to her class she wasn't there either, so I thought she was you, but when I-"

"Lulu," Lux said, halting the little yordle's long winded story. "I haven't seen Poppy. We just got to school ourselves." She looked over to Janna, who shook her own head in response. Lulu's ears dipped low as she took in their words. She bit her lip, an uncomfortable thought running through her head. Lux glanced about and knelt down to Lulu. "What is it? Did something happen to Poppy?"

Lulu sucked in a breath. "Um…no, at least I don't think so." She pushed her finger tips together, unease all over her face and body language. "Well, last night. She was, uh, a little upset about how things turned out. She sorta talked to me about it, but I ran into Veigar, and I ended up getting distracted and before I knew it, Poppy had already locked herself in her room, and then I got yelled at for bringing Veigar into the girl's dorm passed curfew." Lulu looked to the floor timidly.

Lux let out a breath, "Okay, I have her number I can just call her during lunch or something, and if she doesn't show up for our meet up then we'll figure something else out. Okay?" Lulu smiled and gave a little nod before running off. Lux watched her go and turned to Janna when the little yordle disappeared around a corner. "...Poppy was more than just 'a little upset' you know." Lux was as gentle as she could be. Making sure her tone didn't make Janna defensive.

"...I know." Janna said softly, "I was more than hurt myself, now… now I think I made peace with it." They shared a look. Janna knew Lux didn't hold anything against her. She could always count on her. Malzahar had made his choice, and so did Janna. Together with her new team, they'll defeat him before he could bring the Void to their home. She just hoped the other guardians can come to trust her again like Lux does.

* * *

The bike hit yet another speed bump way too fast and it made Ezreal wince in pain as the shock rode up his injured leg. He stood on the back pegs of Jayce's bike, the brunette teen letting the blonde hitch a ride as he couldn't ride his own bike. "Dude!" Ezreal yelled from behind Jayce, his hands holding onto his friend's shoulders.

"Sorry!" Jayce yelled back, his tone not sorry in the least. "You know you're the reason we're late in the first place!"

"ME!?" Ezreal leaned forward, careful not to put too much pressure on his leg, he gave his friend a sidelong glare. "You're the one who slept in!"

"Cause I stayed up all night worrying about YOU, ya jerk!" Jayce swerved the bike a bit to avoid a large crack in the sidewalk. The shift in momentum made Ezreal pull away, giving Jayce some space and moving the glare out of his peripheral view. "Freaking hear about someone blowing up buildings yesterday and you barely answer your phone!"

"I was held up by the paramedics, and then the police showed up and…" Ezreal rolled his eyes, he was not going to be guilt tripped, "You know what, I'm not taking the blame for this, I was the victim there! When I got back YOU were the one still up! Marathoning those idol variety shows."

"IT WAS THE ONLY THING I COULD FIND!" Jayce yelled, almost sending them crashing in his sudden defensive outburst. Ezreal clutched tighter on his friend's neck and Jayce slammed the brakes. They skidded across the sidewalk, slowing down enough that Ezreal loosened his sleeper hold and Jayce caught his breath. Two gulps of air later Jayce started elbowing Ezreal in the ribs, "Do you want me to crash?"

"You're the one over reacting." Ezreal held his side, laughing a bit.

Jayce started pedaling again. It was a slow start, Ezreal made balancing difficult. When they got back up to speed Jayce chanced a glance over his shoulder. "You went straight to bed so I didn't ask. You get to see the guardians in person?"

"I think I ran into the purple haired one again, though I didn't actually see her. She did this awesome wind shield thing around me." Ezreal waved his hand in the air, making vague circles.

"That's so cool." Jaye kept looking back at Ezreal, a bit jealous that once again Jayce missed out, "It's not fair, you're always running into them. At the gym, at the dorm, and you also saw the pink one transform! You get to see all the cool stuff, like you have a magical destiny or something."

"Psh, hardly." Ezreal shook his head, denying anything special about his small interactions with the local heroes. Half the time he did meet them he almost ended up dying. Like that time with Darius swinging that massive axe, and then again with Jinx throwing grenades with mini bear traps attached. If he does get closer to the guardians and at the same time, Lux, he rather it be over more mundane stuff. Glancing up the street Ezreal saw someone step into their patch, his eyes went wide and he tugged hard on Jayce's neck, forcing his friend to turn. "Watch out!"

Jayce frantically looked to the bike handles then to the guy just turning to face them. Despite Ezreal's best intentions, nearly choking Jayce a second time wasn't helping, the bike under them jerked hard to the left and to avoid hitting the wall Jaycee corrected to the right. A little too much to the right, they ended up off the sidewalk and onto the street, swerving around a somewhat familiar person.

Malzahar cursed and pushed himself off the wall he was pressed hard against to avoid those two idiots. He looked up the street in case there were any other stragglers rushing to school and rushed across the street. The problem with the spell enhancing his vision, was that it severely handicapped what details he could see. Shape and color bled into a grayscale mess. He moved further into the side streets when a magical aura filled his peripheral view. Quickly he followed it before he lost sight of it. This was a strong soul, akin to the star guardians… if that's the case, he'll have to restrict himself to observing only. His street clothes engulfed in purple haze, and his robes appeared around his body. He pulled the hood down tight around his face as he floated into the air. Flying up the side of a wall while still exhausted was at least manageable in his state.

The two boys wobbled as they got the pedals back under their control. Ezreal was looking back to the guy they almost hit. Whoever it was was already across the street and out of sight. He let out a sigh of relief that they hadn't caused any damage. Which was good, as they couldn't afford wasting anymore time. No doubt they were already late for morning classes. And sure enough as they rolled up to the front gate they found it securely closed. They looked about, hoping not to draw attention of a passing teacher or worse Caitlyn. Ezreal hopped off the bike and peered through. From what he could see, the courtyard was empty, no one was outside and he didn't hear anyone nearby. "Okay, the coast is clear. If you can boost me up, I think we can leverage the bike over."

Ezreal's words fell on deaf ears as Jayce was still busy looking around. Staring actually, as something up atop the city rooftops caught his eye. _Magical Destiny._ Moving passed some fencing, an unmistakable blue glow was moving further away. Jayce kept his eyes locked on, who he was ninety-eight percent sure was a star guardian and not a safety light to tell planes they're flying too low.

"HEY!" Ezreal yelled down.

Jayce snapped back to attention to see a struggling Ezreal halfway up the gate, "Whoa h-hold on there." Jayce grabbed onto Ezreal and pulled him back down. He swept a hand up and pointed to the rooftops. "Magical destiny," Jayce reorientated the bike to cross the street, patting the back impatiently. "C'mon, I think we can still catch her. From her distance and height, and how quickly she travels I think I can guess where's she's gonna land."

Ezreal swept his hands in the air. "No. nono. I think you're forgetting the fact that I mentioned almost dying whenever I ran into them." He placed his hands on the handlebars and braced himself, preventing Jayce from speeding off. "We have to get to class. We're right here."

"Skipping one day of school won't matter. Especially with our stellar grades." Jayce slung an arm around Ezreal, subtly pushing him out of the way. "She's still up in the air, we can still catch her if we're fast."

Ezreal pursed his lips, weighing what to do in his head. He couldn't rightfully let Jayce run off on his own. As smart as his friend was, he can also be extremely air headed at times. Ezreal groaned and hopped onto the back of the bike. "I swear, I'll get you back for this if this blows up in our face."

"It's gonna be worth it I promise." Jayce settled his feet onto the pedals. They started rolling when a sharp whistle behind them made both boys flinch, cringing hard as they knew they were caught. Turning around slowly they saw Caitlyn waiting at the foot of the gate, already opening it. Jayce sighed, deflating as his chance of adventure slipped away.

Ezreal meekly waved back at Caitlyn, "H-hey."

...

Poppy didn't like skipping classes. She really didn't, despite what her grades told others. She scored middle of the pack consistently. So she was firmly stuck as an average… a little below-average… student. Missing a day of class isn't really going to hinder her. Still, it nagged at the back of her head while she secretly watched her friends file into the school. She saw Lulu pacing around momentarily before rushing inside, followed by Janna and Lux making their way inside after letting Jinx catch up. Poppy had to put her phone on silent so she wouldn't be tempted to answer their calls. She hated lying, but Janna had lied first, and Lux played along. She knew they wouldn't help, so it was up to her to set this right, and capture Malzahar herself. She had to make up for the time she accidentally let him go.

She stayed hidden on the building across the street. Waiting until she saw all the other guardians head inside, and a bit after they closed the gate. When she was sure no other guardian would show up, Poppy transformed and started to make her way back into the city. She took in a long deep breath to steady herself, burying any doubt before it could grow. Still a little hesitant to truly fly, Poppy stuck to tall buildings she could use to act as perfect jump off points. She was now able to use her augmented strength to leap high in the air to aid her gliding, she leapt up and kicked off a radio tower to speed her ascent.

She had Ahri's dumb star guardian blog bookmarked to act as reference, Poppy hated to admit it but Ahri had the most informed blog about them. It was somewhat creepy how closely she followed their actions. Obviously Ahri didn't catch every single thing, there was only a few blurbs about Malzahar. Through her blog Poppy found a few posts on forums, others have started to see a link between the guardians and the purple robed man, creating wild speculation on who he is and why they're fighting. One poster had claimed Malzahar must have attacked their neighbor as they saw him stepping outside their apartment soon after hearing a fight. There was even some video recordings of Malzahar flying about the city to and from various places, most of the time he was only a blur in the background. That was all Poppy needed though, she could tell what streets they were on by using the buildings as landmarks. There was enough unique buildings here that each of Valoran's districts look like their own country at times. He liked to frequent Shurima it seemed.

She made a beeline south to Shurima's downtown area, unaware of the onlookers watching her. One of which was more dangerous than the others, and ironically exactly who she was looking for.

* * *

Lux half listened to her homeroom teacher's lesson, her mind was too busy thinking about Jinx, Malzahar and now Poppy, someone she had thought as reliable, who for all Lux knew was foolheartedly rushing off on her own. She chewed on the hard plastic of her pencil, the cute little poro charm suffering as her thoughts kept roaming. She looked up from her blank notebook, she hadn't written anything down since class started, ahead two rows up was Jinx. The troublemaker was quiet and actually looked like she was concentrating on the lesson. Though from where Lux sat she knew Jinx was taking as much notes as she was.

Jinx looked from Shiro to Kuro, honestly thinking of them as the white one and the black one was getting tiresome, when asked they enthusiastically told her their names. They were talking to one another like Jinx couldn't hear every single word between them, and it was getting annoying. They kept talking about how she was suppose to be a star guardian. The great destiny fate had disposed on her. What she has to do to obtain her true potential. It was so, so, so, grating. She didn't exactly want to be, whatever this is. She wanted to hang out with Ekko, annoy Vi and her stupid stuck up girlfriend, waste time doing nothing at arcades. She only accepted her fate because it meant getting revenge on the asshole who sucked Ekko's soul out his head. So she really didn't appreciate it when the two spirits talked about her like she wasn't here and was just some burnout. She honestly tried paying attention on Ms. Laurent just to take her mind off them and maybe drown out their voices. Nothing stuck. She could feel the ball of anger bouncing around in her gut. She slammed her hands down onto her desk, causing the students around her to jump at the loud noise. Even Ms. Laurent fell silent as she looked to Jinx. She stood up abruptly and started to walk out of the classroom. "I'm going to the infirmary." Was all she said, and Ms. Laurents sputtering didn't deter her at all.

Lux was shocked at her outburst. She looked to Jinx's retreating form and back to Ms. Laurent, who was getting back into her lesson. Slowly, Lux raised her hand. "Um. I-I'll make sure she actually goes." With a nod from her teacher, Lux followed after Jinx.

When she stepped into the hall she saw the back of Jinx heading up to the rooftop. Shaking her head, Lux rushed over to her. When she got to the corner someone else she didn't see almost bumped into her. She smoothly sidestepped them for once and saw Ezreal taking a surprised step back. "Hey Lux."

"S-sorry, I really can't talk right now." Lux said and ran up after Jinx.

Ezreal paused taken back by how quickly he was brushed off, then he chuckled. He figured she was on some kind of save the world business that he didn't need to get tangled into, plus he had to get to class. When he got to his classroom, his phone buzzed and he saw a text from Jayce, something about ditching school during lunch to go try and find the guardian. He ignored replying for now, least he get an earful for being late and on his phone from Ms. Laurent.

Lux took two the steps two at a time, reaching the rooftop just as the door swung close, catching it with her hand. Lux stopped from following Jinx through when she heard the yelling from the other side. Cracking the door open enough for her to peek through, Lux saw Jinx pacing back and forth.

"Look, I get it. I'm a guardian, woo hoo." Jinx pantomimed throwing confetti into the air. "Stop with this whole-" She rolled her hands around, struggling to find the word. "Fate and destiny and true calling bullshit."

Shiro and Kuro pursed their lips. Looking at one another and then back to Jinx. They drifted closer to Jinx, circling slightly so Jinx had to turn to keep them in sight. "You're not as selfish as you say you are." - "Admit it to yourself." - "It'll be a whole lot smoother for the three of us."

"If this is, 'Love was the true answer all along' I throttling both of you. I know you guys have a neck somewhere in that fluff." Jinx pointed a threatening finger at them. "I don't love Ekko, trust me."

"But you care for him" - "And others."

"Like who? I only have the one friend." Jinx crossed her arms.

Following only half the conversation was hard for Lux. With only Jinx's words, Lux had to guess she was talking directly to the First Star, something only Lux had done once during a trance state. This must be going back to how Jinx isn't fully awakened yet, only being aware of her power. Lux quietly stepped back from her hiding spot. Eavesdropping like this wasn't good, it certainly won't help Jinx, and that's not what Lux wanted. She truly wished to help Jinx, and make her understand this whole life change. She must first build trust between one another. Lux walked back down the steps, counted to ten, and then started back up the steps, making sure she was loud enough to be heard. "JINX? You up here?" She called out like she didn't already know.

Jinx froze, and whirled on who called her. She noticed Lux stepping out from the stairwell, the blonde's face brightening up when she locked eyes with her. Jinx's hands tensed reflexively, sending one last glance at Kuro and Shiro, she smirked at Lux. "Hey Sunshine. Didn't think of you as the stalker type. What would Ez think?"

Lux scoffed, knowing Jinx was only teasing. Pretty sure at least. "No, I was looking for you cause, well, I was kind of worried. You ran out of the classroom so suddenly and you weren't in the infirmary like you said."

That earned an eye roll from Jinx. She stepped around Lux, pivoting on her toes to exaggerate her shrug. "Nothing to worry about. Just yelling at my imagination." Jinx swatted at Shiro and Kuro who swished through the air like stray leaves. "You know the usual."

Lux looked down, fiddling with the hem of her skirt. "If something is bothering you… it's okay to tell me."

Jinx's fake smile vanished. Her arms crossed defensively over her chest. "Why? We're are 'teammates' not friends."

"We could be, if you want." Lux said, taking a step closer that Jinx mirrored by taking a step back. "We're going to be a guardians together, fight against the forces of evil from several galaxies away using magical abilities given to us from a star. Being friends doesn't sound as outrageous as that."

"Oh yeah, and I'm sure those Piltie buddies of yours would love my company too." Jinx didn't try to hide her annoyance for their Piltover classmates. "Fat Hands is dying to catch up on old times over tea and crumpets with her oh so much cooler miss prissy girlfriend."

"I have friends that don't already know you. Janna and Lulu. They are guardians too, and are willing to befriend you." Lux said. "Poppy can be, um, difficult, but I'm sure she'll warm up to you eventually."

"See you have more friends than you realize." - "More the merrier." - "Give them a shot."

"Yeah, what about Ekko?" Jinx said flatly, "I'll just ditch him for you guys, wow what an upgrade. Nah, I'm not a flake." She looked pointedly at Shiro and Kuro, each of them had a knowing smirk on their fuzzy face. As if she just proved them right on something she wasn't entirely sure on what. Jinx grumbled and turned to ignore them.

"You don't have to stop being friends with him. Lulu always hangs out with Veigar when she isn't with us, Poppy likes to talk to Tristana and the other yordles, and well you know me." Lux said with a shrug. She closed the gap between the two of them, placing a hand on the other girl's arm. "Come on, it's going to be a rocky start either way, but I'm positive we'll be good friends."

Jinx groaned, "I'm not going to change your mind anytime soon huh?" When Lux shook her head, Jinx groaned even louder. "Fine, whatever." She said throwing her hands in the air. Signaling that she was giving up. "You're going to help me get Ekko back, the least I can do is maybe consider sticking around and give this star guardian/friendship biz a shot."

Lux smiled, that's all she could ask for. "It's a deal. Us Guardians always look out for one another and our friends. But being a guardian isn't only who we are, Janna told me that friendships outside this life are things we have to treasure. It's a hard thing to balance, I know I had a tough time, but in the end I think, I think it'll be worth it. No matter what, we'll be there for one another."

Jinx was silent, a subtle smile reaching her face. The first genuine smile Lux could see. "Whatever you say fearless leader." She shoved her hands deep into her pockets and walked to the stairwell.

Lux nodded, happy that Jinx was opening up. "Let's head back to class, it'd be bad if we got caught ditching."

Jinx whirled on Lux, "Yeah it would." She flicked Lux on the forehead and ran down the stairs.

"H-hey! Jinx no, come on, I don't want to get in trouble." Lux called after Jinx.

...

Malzahar looked around, once the majority of the student body started classes it left the streets eerily vacant. There was barely a soul, even the Star Guardian he spied was long gone. It was… concerning, to see one out and flying through the city meant he had to play more conservatively. He wouldn't be able to move around as freely, and hunting down the city's various ley lines would be troublesome if he had to remain grounded. He was in no position to try and pick a fight with her either, he was still mentally and physically exhausted from the late night. Instead, he had tasked a small voidling to keep track of her for him. His natural connection to the void let him know the whereabouts of the voidlings under his control. That was far more reliable than sensing foreign magic, such as the light the guardians used. He considered it dumb luck that he even sensed the guardian in the first place, if he hadn't been using enhanced vision he would have surely ran right into her ill prepared and at her mercy. If he sensed the voidling coming too close then he could still escape without being found. For now, he'll scout things out slowly. Starting with the center of Valoran.

Malzahar pushed the magic in his eyes harder, manipulating them to peer even further. He was using his magic enhanced vision to scope out the area. The color of the world faded even further away. The grayscale that he was left with bled into only vague outlines. And more details bled away as he focused on the aspect of the magical world he needed to. He used an altered version of the spell he used previously to see people's souls. Like lens of a camera, he filtered through the many layers of magic to peer deeper and deeper into the world. Ley Lines, naturally occurring fonts of magic, flowed and circulated around the world how oceans and their currents circulate water. The line he could see was bleary, so weak he had to strain to even notice which direction it flowed. That was something he had expected. This world was practically devoid of magic, there were weak instances of magic here and there, but they were so sparse and ineffectual that no one even notice. He didn't even notice them. Still, these ley lines would be more than efficient to anchor a portal onto the world. It would only require a crossroads of them to be enough, something two or three lines would accomplish. Scouting this out early would help give Malzahar some breathing room, he can't have Vel'Koz constantly hovering over him while he experimented to reach his other goal. Best get what Vel'Koz wanted soon and switch tasks afterwards.

From how the ley line nearest to him flowed, the strands of magic moved back towards the school, sitting perfectly in the center of the main building. Malzahar laughed at that, of course, fate always played the cruelest of tricks. Following the line, he could see a large buildup of magic forming right at the base of the school. Whether or not that is the after effect of the guardians' presence, or even his own presence for that matter, was unknown. He made the mental note to check when school let out and they had vacated the area. He had to scout out where the other ley lines in this metropolis lay, find the highest concentration and determine how it flowed to setup the portal properly. It would only be a last resort to set the portal here. The place was too central for his liking and within spitting distance to each of the dorms. The likelihood of one guardian spotting the rip in space and contacting the others was too high. Muttering under his breath he ended the spell. The spell practically blinded him to everything besides the magic swirling around him. Like slowly adding layers, the natural world came back into view. The magic in the air was like haze in a desert, then like seeing an oasis in the distance Malzahar saw a shine of magic, a far off twinkle against the city skyline, speeding away from the school. Looking back from the school and then back to the distancing light, Malzahar noticed that they shared a similar intensity. One dot far in the distance almost impossible to see let alone track, two dots up atop of the building, and finally two more in opposite ends of the school. He stifled a laugh and shook his head, maybe keeping tabs the guardians would be easier than he thought. Their souls shone like beacons in the dark.

He took a moment to let his vision clear, staring at the school one last time, and stepped back into the shadow of a building and disappeared.

* * *

Lunch time came quickly. Janna sat in the literature club's room, waiting patiently for the water to boil. The room was empty, usually Lux ate with her and sometimes Lulu and Veigar would join in if he wasn't too caught up in his reading. Janna thought that was ironic, he was maybe the most read person she knew and he ended up in the occult club instead of the literature club. Poppy liked to eat with the other yordles, so she would show up when Lulu did if she found Rumble and Teemo too annoying that day. The small ping from the water boiler caught Janna's attention, quietly she set her lunch down and went over to start setting up tea. With no one else around, she'd only poured herself a cup.

A few more minutes passed without anyone joining her. That was strange. By now even Ezreal would have poked his head in to see if Lux wanted to hang out before classes resumed. Standing up, Janna decided she would seek her friends out herself. Lux and Ezreal would eat atop the roof if they weren't here and Lulu liked to eat next to the garden she and Zyra maintained. She looked out the closest window and sure enough she spotted the the big floof of hair Lulu somehow manage to maintain. Sitting next to her was Veigar, head buried deep into a book. That left Lux. It was a few minutes later when Janna found herself atop the building. She could spot a few classmates who opted for some privacy by eating up here. Though she couldn't see Lux or Ezreal. Even Jayce was missing, he almost always hung out with Ezreal. That was even more odd, because Jayce liked to eat here even if Ezreal decided to eat with Lux in the club room.

Heading back downstairs Janna ran across Garen who was rushing down the hall opposite her. She gave her classmate a wave and he slowed down.

"Hey, you haven't seen my sister have you?" He asked, stealing her question away.

"...No, I was actually looking for her myself." Janna replied.

"Damn… I was hoping you knew. I'm starving and she usually makes me lunch." Garen patted his empty stomach. "I'm gonna see if she went back to her class. See ya." The big guy stepped around Janna and nodded a little goodbye.

This left Janna really confused. Where could Lux have gone?

…

Lux was wringing her hands, all tight with anxiousness. She looked back to the empty lot that sat behind the school. It was never occupied and the only thing here was the old storage shed the school rarely uses. She looked back to Jinx, who was leading her along after giving her the run around this morning. "Jinx, we REALLY should go back to class. We skipped most of morning class, and lunch is half over now. Ms. Laurent is going to have our heads if we skip afternoon classes too!"

"Oh my god, stop whining! We're gonna have some fun, a little trip into the city and back before class is over." Jinx said. She double checked her surroundings, no one was around which was perfect, because if anyone else found her secret passage it'd spoil the rest of the year and beyond. See, Jinx skipping class wasn't anything special. She did it enough to just skirt repeating a year. And she did that easily because she knew one of the few ways past the school's stupid brick wall that didn't involve climbing straight over it. Only idiots did that. It was too obvious and you can be spotted from the windows anywhere on this side of the building.

Her way was the best. All that was needed was some light vandalism of public property. Jinx walked over to the storage shed. The lock on the door looked rusted and worn out from age. Jinx slid a key in and it popped open easily. Lux's eyes widen when she saw Jinx stroll right in. "Where did you get that key?"

"It's my lock to begin with. Popped the old one off a year ago. This one right here is just painted to look old. Ekko's idea, my art skill. Hell I don't think anyone else realized that the lock had been switched." Jinx had a dangerously playful smile on when she talked about her exploits. She let Lux in first, strolling in together and shut the door. She hushed Lux, stopping whatever question she was about to ask. She pointed to the far end of the shed. Jinx knocked on each brick on the lower half of the wall until one sounded hollow. With a smile she pushed aside the wall and looked out into the back alleys of Valoran. She crawled through, taking a deep breath of fresh non-school air.

Lux was dumbfounded again. She crawled right behind Jinx and she still looked amazed. The alleyway was vacant and there was a few boxes that hid the hole they crawled through.

Jinx smiled and held up the false wall. "It's plywood and some wood planks. The shed had the same paint they used for the walls, so I used that as camouflage." Jinx tossed the section to Lux who awkwardly caught it. The plywood was only three feet by three feet and all over it was thin wood planks cut out and arrayed to match a brick wall.

"This is… really clever." Lux was turning the piece around in her hands, the wood even had divots cut out of them to resemble the chipping bricks have.

"Alright slide that sucker back into place and we'll be scottfree." JInx clapped her hands free of the dust they picked up from crawling on the floor.

Lux leaned down and propped the false wall back where it was before. "...Wait. How did you know there was a hole here?"

"That's easier to explain. I made it when I was messing around with some homemade fireworks."

That raised more questions than it answered. Though Lux wasn't about to ask them. She was too speechless anyhow. Lux was trying to wrap her head around how clever Jinx was, and how easily everyone dismissed her when a pair of voices caught her attention. Lux whipped around, half thinking she and Jinx just got caught, when she heard the voices again. They definitely sounded familiar. Lux walked to the wall with Jinx at her side. The delinquent pointed to the top of the wall, her other hand held a finger against her lip.

"Okay" Jayce whisper yelled from behind the fence. "Just wedge yourself into the corner and use the leverage to hoist yourself up."

"Why do I have to go first?" Ezreal called back, also in a stage whisper.

"Cause I'm here to catch you just in case." There was a brief scuffle as the two boys argued on who should go up.

"This is your stupid idea, you go."

There was more hushed arguing and finally a frustrated grumble as one of the boys started their climb up.

Lux looked over to Jinx, who looked oddly amused by their antics. Like she said, only idiots tried to climb over. She looked back and saw a hand slap the top of the wall. The two girls shuffled so they stood in the boy's blindspot. From the slender shape, Lux could guess that it was Ezreal making the trek up first.

"Got it, I got it." The blond huffed. Lux couldn't help but think Ezreal really should work out more. A few grunts later and a leg swung itself over onto the other side. "Okay, give me your hand. I'll help you up." Ezreal sat slumped, leaning over heavily to help his friend get a hand hold.

Lux felt Jinx whisper right in her ear. "This is gonna be good."

The question 'why?' was on the tip of Lux's tongue when a sharp whistle drew her attention back to the wall.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" That was unmistakably Vi's voice.

"Dammit" Jayce audibly muttered from the other side. "Okay, full honesty, we're trying to ditch. For a good reason that'll you'll hear about AFTER we get back."

"No." Vi said flatly, "I don't think so... Cupcake told me you two boneheads would try something like this. Didn't think it'd be as stupid as jumping the fence… Ez, get the hell down from there before you hurt yourself. Lux ain't gonna like it if you break your leg because of Jayce's stupidity."

Jinx elbowed Lux, pulling the other girl's attention away. She mouthed, 'This is our queue to leave.'

'But what about Ezreal?' Lux followed after Jinx, she kept looking back to Ezreal, who was struggling to get down.

'Fat Hands got it under control.' Jinx looked back just in time to see Ezreal slip. 'Mostly….' She pulled Lux harder, 'He'll be fine.

* * *

Malzahar pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to quell the oncoming headache. He drew in a large gulp of air, the breeze from atop of the building was like ice in his lungs. It did little to sooth him, his eyes ached from inside his head and there was an unmistakable thrum at his temples. He was keeping the augmented spell on much longer than normal. After spotting the first ley line, others came up almost regularly, it became more more efficient to keep the spell on rather than recasting it in intervals. It didn't take long to find two other ley lines, both crossing the first within a mile or so of the school. His loop around the school's campus confirmed it. While a strong stroke of luck, as it meant he didn't have to worry about finding a suitable location to place the portal, it also meant he had to place the portal right in the center of the guardian's view. The two lines flowed away from the first, meaning it was drawing energy from the first. Where Malzahar stood currently, he would have to go to the opposite side, northwest of the school, where the lines then fed into the first line.

A sharp thrum made Malzahar pause, his thoughts lapsing to focus on bearing the pain. The spell was wearing thin on his already depleted mana reserves. He was about to end it when he decided to check on the guardians one last time. The one in Shurima was still safely away from him, only a mere speck on the horizon. Back at the school… Two of the souls he could see are breaking away, moving away from the school and vaguely toward him.

Forcing the magic in his eyes to stay a while longer, Malzahar could see two guardians outside of the school's campus. _What the… they're probably trying to meet up with the other guardian…_ Malzahar thought to himself. He wasn't certain if that was their goal or not, what was certain was that they're leaving. He needed to see for himself who these were.

He felt the magic in his eyes drain away as he moved to a hiding spot further on the roof. He pressed himself close to the ground, laying flat on his stomach. Silently he watched the two girls rush down the alley unaware of his gaze spying down on them. The one with blue hair made him pause. If he concentrated enough, he could still feel the void magic within her, like he had in the morning. He wadger it wasn't enough to be of any use. And the blonde wasn't his Janna so that was no doubt Lux heading out. The guardian in the morning was the yordle with the hammer. That left Janna and the yordle who did transfigurations at the school.

Rolling onto his back, Malzahar contemplated on his next move. He withdrew into himself, mentally calling out to the voidling tailing the yordle.

...

Poppy sighed, this was the third lap around Shurima that she took. She flew low to make sure she wouldn't accidentally get spotted by Malzahar if he so happened to fly by. She made sure she was able to keep in the air by kicking off ledges and balconies. Honestly she was making incredible time, she didn't know she could fly this fast. Below her a car sped up and she could see she was keeping up with it easily. The passenger in the car stared at her, and she stared back, smiling a little to ease the tension building in her stomach. She was at this for a while now without any sort of progress. She noticed she had lost some altitude and used a nearby fire escape to regain momentum and height. As quickly as she was making her way through Shurima, it wasn't helping in the least to finding Malzahar.

She landed on a nearby building, taking a moment to catch her breath. Maybe she was wrong… or in the least she overestimated her abilities. Of course she did. Lux was right, as always, they needed a game plan and Poppy rushed ahead all headstrong. _Ugh._ Poppy slumped down onto the ledge. Her short legs hung over the edge. She rubbed her temples with the balls of her hands. No, she was a guardian, that meant she was meant to do this. Her hands tightened in determination. She brought out her phone, reloading the many blogs she was following, and frowned when she saw that they've been updated with nothing but pictures of her flying all around the city. Poppy cursed. She should've known this was gonna happen, those damn blogs were a double edge sword. Anything she could use to track Malzahar down can just as easily be used to track her down. He's probably out there not even in his purple robes, staying hidden like the rat he is.

Unbeknownst to the yordle turmoil, Malzahar had been tracking her. Just not in the way she thought he was. The magic flowing through his eyes made following her movements much easier than flying from street to street or reading ten different blogs at once. He had let her do her fruitless searching while he used his knowledge of her position to safely stay out of reach. And the voidling shadowing her movements was extra insurance, one that would pay off now.

Voidlings were animalistic. So without a strong will to enforce their thoughts, they would eat and tear at anything available. Malzahar was able to keep several in check with his abilities. It was that connection to him that prevented the voidling from striking prematurely. Instead it felt a pull, a connection to Malzahar that instructed it seek out a suitable target to use. Create a diversion. Lure the guardians away from the school.

The voidling chittered away from Poppy, making sure its movements were silent and didn't draw the unwanted attention of the yordle. The building they were atop was tall and was crowded full of office drones, any of which would make a perfect distraction if it meant pulling others in harm's way. It wasn't hard to make its way into the ventilation system, spying on those inside. There was one man in particular that exhumed an aura of authority. He stood straight and tall, and had a hawk like face. He was leading a group of people down the hall, all of which taking hasty notes of everything he said. When he passed close enough the voidling leapt out from its hiding space. The buildings walls were thick enough that Poppy was ignorant of the chaos brewing just below her feet.

…

Lux was… conflicted. She sat across from Jinx, a hot plate of curry cooling in front of her. The hole in the wall restaurant was located in the heart of Shurima's business district, only a few minutes away from the school. From her point of view, Jinx's mood has improved. She was no longer grumpy and her eyes stopped staring off into space, during the whole way here she was quiet, like her mind was more preoccupied with something else. While Lux was happy that Jinx has decided to open up, she really felt like something was still off with the other girl. Jinx shoveled in yet another spoonful of food into her mouth, having Lux nearby didn't improve her manners in the slightest. Lux took a bite of her own food. She chewed thoughtfully, "This is pretty good."

"Shurima has the best curry." Jinx said off-handed.

They were quiet.

"Jin-"

"Being a Guardian." Jinx said suddenly, "Is it worth it?"

Lux brows knitted together, "Yeah of course it is. We saved so many people already."

"Are your happy?" There was a strange emphasis on happy, "I'm just really trying to wrap my head around all this so it actually makes sense to me" There was a glance up to the corner of her eye, before Jinx double downed on staring Lux in the eye. "You gotta fight evil, and that's all morally good and what not, all I'm asking is… does that make you happy?"

There was a pause as Lux thought it over.

"Thought so." Jinx leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest, turning in her chair away from Lux. Her eyes wandered over the people milling by the streets, some businessmen were rushing out the doors. Jinx shook her head, looking back to Lux. "I get that this is my destiny now or whatever, but I don't like it. To be honest I only really want to stick around cause I get to kick that bastard ass for what he did." Jinx sent a glare to something in the corner of her eye. "What do I really get out of all of this?"

Lux frowned, she took another spoonful of curry instead of answering Jinx question. Which honestly said a lot more than whatever Lux could come up with. Lux laid her utensil down gently, "We should get back to school." She said quietly.

Together they stood, Jinx threw some worn out bills onto the table as Lux lead them outside. She knew it was worth it, in her gut she felt like this was something she had to do. And the friendships she made with the other Guardians enforced that feeling. Lux sighed as she remembered she was suppose to try calling Poppy during lunch. She promised Lulu she would. She pulled her phone out and quickly ran through her contacts. People around her rushed by, unaware of the small turmoil brewing in her head. Jinx cursed as one person nearly bowled them over. Lux suppressed her own annoyance and looked around as the call connected. "Why is everyone in a rush?"

Jinx held an arm out stopping Lux from walking any further, she held a hand up and pointed to a large golden building that wasn't there a minute ago. Atop the building there was a golden disc that reflected the sun across it's shiny surface, it loomed menacingly as it scanned the streets below. Coming out of the building looked to be ancient looking soldiers. Men and women adorned in golden armor and hawk like helmets, each carrying a spear at their side.

"...This isn't good…" Lux said, unaware that Poppy finally answered her call.

* * *

Malzahar could feel the vast amount of power build from the voidling even this far away, it must have gotten hold of someone exceptionally strong willed. He ignored it as he flew up onto the school building. Sneaking inside without any trouble. Afternoon classes have already started, no one should be in the halls. No one would see him and no one will know he was here. Quickly he found the occult club's room. The door wasn't locked and the inside was still dark like he left it. He guessed no one used the club since his absence, looking around inside confirmed it. The chairs were still tucked in at their desk, the crystal ball Syndra uses for her fortune reading was still perched atop the shelf, the lone couch was dusty as ever and the black cardstock was still taped firmly on all the windows. Even Veigar's garden was a little dried out, and he took meticulous care of those plants. Oh well. Malzahar opened the window, looked around to see no one, and proceed to push each potted plant off the windowsill. Once it was clear, he shut the window tightly and used the leftover black cardstock to cover the last clear spot on the window. The entire room was now in shadow, and the door was firmly locked. Tiredly Malzahar sat on the couch. With a wave, a portal opened up between worlds.

"I've found a suitable location to open the portal and I've got a distraction to lure the Guardians away. I'll take my rest and continue once I'm ready." Not waiting for a response, Malzahar fell onto the couch and let sleep over take him.

* * *

A/N: An that's a wrap!

This is the start of the final arc, and everything is moving into their final positions. I don't know how many chapters are left, and if I did i wouldn't say. I'm just glad I'm able to update this fic once again.

Valguienmas - (I still recognize you, even if you review as a guest) There's not going to be any Talyiah x Ekko shipping or Jinx x Ekko shipping! Sorry for those who ship either ship. Taliyah doesn't really have an eye on anyone besides maybe a certain Kendo instructor, and even then that's only one-sided admiration. Jinx and Ekko only see each other with platonic love. If I ship Ekko with anyone it'd be **[Redacted for possible spoiler]**

Rufael - Sadly no… Ekko isn't going to get his time powers here. I'm trying to limit those who have abilities to a main core list of characters. Having six teens run about is already hard enough to reign in. And soon six more are going to join them, ugh that's going to be so tough. Don't worry about Jinx's virtue, she'll discover it soon enough.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: League of Legends has a hold over me, but alas I have no hold over it. I do not own it at all, and I cry.

A/N: I'm really gonna try to keep these updates more consistent. I've finally got myself a lot of free time (Unemployed but happy) so I can devote more time to writing not only this but other things. Does that mean more fanfiction? Maybe. Could that also mean an original story/novel all my own? God I hope so. Thanks for those who have stuck along with me through that crazy out of nowhere hiatus. I know League isn't as popular anymore, and Star Guardians stuff isn't either… but I still love this game and story I'm writing. So come hell or high water am I gonna try to finish this.

Well enough of me rambling. I know what everyone came here for. On with the show~!

* * *

Jinx stumbled backwards, landing hard on her tailbone as the tip of a spear embedded itself just above her head. Her leg reared back and lashed out as hard as she could. The sole of her boot crashed into the soldier's stomach making them fall back in a heap. Jinx scrambled to her feet. The soldiers streaming out of the office building started forming ranks, making a defensive barrier against all who would try to enter. "Any plan here Sunshine?"

Lux quickly transformed and sent a wave of binding light to halt the advances of two soldiers. Their bodies bound by the prismatic cage. She raised a finger to Jinx as she brought up her phone to her ear. "Poppy! Where are you? There's a situation… uh yes. Yeah in Shurima." Lux's brows knit together as her gaze went up to the top of the building. Seated atop was Poppy waving her hammer like a signal flag. "Alright, stay there, I'll fly up to you." Lux hung up and rushed to Jinx's side. "Hang tight."

Poppy shook her phone, "Lux wait! Erh, Shit!" She leaned over the balcony and saw Lux wrap her arm around Jinx's waist. Her gaze went to the giant sun disc hovering above the building's crest. It moved ominously, as if to peer down to the street below. The golden surface began to glow, gathering the sunlight around it. Poppy hopped the railing so she stood unobstructed. Her arms waved frantically. Yelling for Lux to stop. Energy shot out from the disc arcing over Poppy's head and down to Lux.

Lux and Jinx were ten feet off the ground when the two of them caught sight of Poppy waving. Their eyes going wide as they both saw the immense amount to energy being released by the sun disc. Lux's arm wrapped tighter around Jinx's waist as she shot off to the side, rushing parallel to the street below her. The sun disc moved slowly but the energy it fired soared unnaturally, homing in on their position with deadly precision. Lux raised a shield as she dove beside a van, placing it between her and the sun beam. The van exploded in fire and shrapnel, the flecks of metal cutting into her shield like if it was tissue paper. Jinx pulled away and rolled with the momentum. Lux crashed hard into the asphalt, she jammed her baton into the ground to slow herself down. She breathed heavily, her shield cracked and evaporated as if it was nothing and it wasn't even hit directly. Her phone rang, and Poppy's voice echoed from the other side.

"You okay?" Poppy said, she was still watching from her spot up on the balcony.

"Barely… what is that thing?"

"Beats me, but it shoots at anything flying near the building. I can't get down even if I jump."

Lux groaned, "Well, it's good to hear that your okay at least. Where the hell were you? Lulu was worried."

"I tracked Malzahar down, uh, I mean I was trying to track him down… I knew he must be in Shurima, and well" Poppy shrugged and gestured to the giant soon to be fortress. Lux didn't see the gesture, but got the gist of it. "He must be inside somewhere, why else go to great lengths to transform everyone inside? This has to be his endgame."

Lux rubbed the back of her head mulling it over. She sighed heavily. "Okay this is what we'll do… Jinx," She turned to the delinquent hiding beside her, "Go back to school, get Janna and Lulu as quickly as you can. I'll have to stay in touch with Poppy and uh-" Lux looked down the street, she saw the soldiers form a pike line, rows and rows of spears pointed outward ready to attack anyone foolish enough to try and enter the building. "Try to get inside to regroup with her…"

"I can work my way down then. Maybe meet you in the middle." Poppy said, turning to explore the balcony. There had to be a doorway inside somewhere. She began to run along the edge of the wall, the windows beside her so reflective they might as well be mirrors. There was a double doorway leading back insde.

"Poppy, don't rush into anything. If you even think you might run into Malzahar, don't fight him. We have to fight this together." Lux tone was warning. She was the leader of the Star Guardians, she can't have Poppy rush in alone. She already made that mistake today and now there's a literal army between them.

"Give me Janna's number. It'll be quicker if I can call her." Jinx held her phone up. She didn't want to say it aloud, but she was happy with this plan. She was in no condition to fight. She didn't have any magical powers to speak of and while she had fire to spare when it came squaring up against Malzahar, she wasn't going in half cocked. Last time didn't go so well. This was the best way she could help, and while it felt grating to run she knew she would only get in the way otherwise. Lux grabbed her phone and punched in her friend's contact. Jinx looked down at the number and took a breath. "Alright, hero time." Jinx ran, taking a wide turn around the building as to not stir any attention. "I'll be back before you know it."

Lux watched her go. She saw a shadow loom over her and dove to the side, a spear slicing past her. "Hero time…" Lux repeated. She charged her baton, the light around the ends glowed with a hot intensity.

* * *

Janna sat in class, her mind wandering. Poppy went missing, and now Lux and Jinx are missing. They never showed up for lunch and never returned to class. Janna tapped her pen on her desk, half absorbing today's lecture. They couldn't have gone looking for Malzahar… right? If Poppy was as upset as Lux and Lulu said she was, she wouldn't put it passed the yordle to go on a manhunt all on her own. Which meant that Lux possibly went out to look for her. Then why bring Jinx? She couldn't transform and so she couldn't hope to keep up. Obviously Lux couldn't bring Janna, Poppy would still be upset with her and wouldn't have liked to see her if they did find her. She should have brought Lulu along at the least, but she's still here.

"Are you with us today, or would you like to continue daydreaming?"

Her teacher's words broke her train of thought as she looked up to see half the class looking at her, and the teacher waiting expectantly at the blackboard. Janna sucked in a breath as she stood. As she did her phone vibrated in her skirt pocket. Her face was calm as she bowed to the teacher. "I'm sorry, but can I please go to the infirmary? I'm not feeling so well." There was a beat of uncomfortable silence, before the teacher decided to let her go. Janna strode out of the room her pace slow. Only when she was out of the class and around the corner she answered her phone. Her voice practically cracked with worry. "Lux, whe- Jinx?" Janna looked around. She went towards an unused room for privacy.

"I need you to haul your butt down to Shurima! Malzahar is building a goddamn army over here. Lux and Poppy need the backup." Jinx said through ragged breaths. She ran passed a street corner, ducking around a parked car.

"That could be us." - "But you playin"

Jinx shot an angry glare to Shiro and Kuro. The two had been quiet since her little trek to Shurima. She held a hand over the phone to muffle the mic, "Shut it you two. I'm doing my duty and trying to save the world alright?"

The two spirits shared a look, "You're being selfish" - "You're part of the team," - "But not being a teammate" - "tsk tsk, running from a fight."

"What do you want from me!?" Jinx skid to a halt. "I get it. I need to harness my true self and embrace my inner guardian. I'm trying my best. At least give me that. Lux and Poppy don't need me as I am, the best I can do is get Janna and Lulu down there to help. And I also have to check up on Ekko, he's probably drowning in his own drool right now." There was a small glow in her core. The inner light sparked a tiny bit and grew steadily, but went unnoticed from her. "I'm not gonna abandon my friend. And even if I'm not a real guardian yet, I'm not gonna abandon my teammates." She looked them square in the eyes. "I'm trying, okay?"

Jinx continued her run, and over the phone she could hear Janna making her way through the school.

"Jinx, I can't get to Lulu. Jinx are you still-"

Jinx held her phone back up to her head. "Yeah, just got yelled at by some jerks, no big deal."

"Lulu is helping Mr. Bramblefoot with the schools garden and I can't pull her away." Janna looked around the corner of the school building and saw Lulu on her knees clearing the planter of any weeds. She tried to wave to her but ducked back down when Zyra came around with a box of ladybugs.

"What? Why- is that even part of their class? I thought that guy was only the grounds keeper." Jinx huffed, slowing down once the school came into view. She debated heading back around to the shed she used as a secret entrance, or to jump the gate to save time. Then she remembered of a few special items left hidden in the shed. A half crazed idea already forming into a plan. "I'll make a distraction, then you can grab Lulu. You'll know it once you hear it." Jinx hung up her phone and ran to head back to the alley behind the school.

Janna looked quizzically at her phone, wondering what Jinx could be up to. She returned to look at Lulu. The little yordle hefted up a bag full of plants ready to be composted, when she turned to head to the other planter she saw Janna. The two locked eyes silently conveying that Lulu was needed and to ditch out as soon as she could. Zyra nudged the yordle and pushed her to hurry up. Lulu faked a smile and trotted along slowly, watching Janna hide in the corner of her eye.

…

Malzahar slept inside the occult club's room. While the couch was far from comfortable, it was still better than nothing. It could had been said he slept soundly, if his dreams hadn't made him toss and turn. Malicious visions of void creatures coming for him because of his failures. Failure to bring the void as he promised, his weakness/connection to Janna stopping him fulfilling his role, and the Voidborn creatures killing him out of spite. He awoke sharply when thunder roared outside. Wait… not thunder. Groggily he shook the last of his dreams out of his head, already forgotten. He swung his legs over the edge of the couch, he still felt drained and tired but at least his mana reserves were back up. He stood and walked over to the window, cracking it open to peer outside. The sudden light hurt his eyes. It took a moment to adjust properly, when they did he smirked.

Jinx stood at the back of the courtyard lighting another handful of homemade fireworks. At this point they were more akin to quarter sticks of dynamite. Her ruckus drawing the attention of the whole school. Students lined the windows to watch the crazed girl. Half were convinced she was under the influence of the purple robe again and a small panic grew among them.

Mr. Bramblefoot made his way over to her. He wasn't mad… no one really thought he could get mad. But he was for sure quite displeased with what Jinx was doing. She was riling up the entire school with her antics. Behind him Lulu took two deliberate steps backwards, putting herself behind Zyra's view. She glanced back to see Janna waving for her to hurry up. Lulu dropped the bag of plants and ran over to Janna.

From his vantage point Malzahar saw the two guardians below him talk hurriedly. When they turned back around he slammed the window shut, least they see him prying. The new turn of events meant he needed to push ahead of his plans. Quickly he started to summon more voidlings, and instructed one to find a red switch out in the halls.

Lulu looked up and saw the blacked out window. She thought something was off, then remembered that was where Veigar had his little garden. She pulled Janna over to the side of the building. Strewn inside of the bushes were small pots, dirt and uprooted plants. Lulu frowned at what she saw. She held up two in her hands, the pots were chipped but still intact. "Veigar threw out my plants…"

"You'll have to tell him off later. We need to regroup with Lux. She found Poppy and they're fighting against more of Malzahar's brainwashed minions. This time a whole army of them." Janna firmly pushed Lulu to hurry along.

"I'll need to get Pix, I left him in class." Lulu sent a quick text to Veigar, telling him to grab Pix for her and to meet her at the front of the school, it was strict Guardian business and that he needed to get Pix to her asap. Also a small reprimand about poor plant treatment. "What about Jinx? Is she going to meet with us too?"

"We'll see, I have a feeling she won't be getting out of her as quickly as we will." The fire alarm rang from within the school. Janna and Lulu looked at one another. "Maybe she will."

...

Jinx was giving the grounds keeper the run about when the fire alarm caught her attention. She hadn't done that… then again she did set off a heap of fireworks near the school. She ducked around the other side of the school. The windows here lead to the teacher's room and other offices. Inside she heard everyone busiling about, following the evacuation procedures precisely. Which meant that everyone will be heading out the closest exits and meeting up in either the courtyard in the front or the athletics field off to the side. Jinx dove into the nearby bushes hiding herself from the ground keeper as he ran by with his gangly legs. All she had to do was wait here, once everyone excited she'll duck inside through the infirmary's window. No one should be inside to catch her as they'll be too busy searching the courtyard outside, wait out the alloted time before it was deemed safe to get inside for everyone, and during that time when everyone is a buzz about returning to class head back to the shed and rendezvous back to Shurima. Solid impromptu planning if she said so herself.

When she saw the first few students milling about outside, Jinx popped open the window and peaked through the curtains. As soon as she did an arm wrapped itself around her head and pulled her through harshly.

"You got a lot of nerve pulling a stunt like that you little twerp." Vi said, her headlock on Jinx tightening as she lead her inside.

Jinx coughed her hands coming up to grab onto Vi's arm. She tugged at it so the arm didn't press hard on her throat, "Well, this close to summer vacation who could blame me for celebrating a little too early…" Jinx's mind blew up with panic. How the hell did Vi catch her like this? She should be in class, unless she ran straight here there would be no way for her to catch up. And to do that she had to know she'd use the infirmary's window to sneak inside. Damn she must be getting predictable. "Mind loosening that grip Fat Hands. The game ends if the coyote catches the road runner you know."

Vi sighed. A heavy mixture of frustration, acceptance, and weariness. "Goddammit Jinx, we're in high school! I'm a third year crying out loud, we can't do this anymore. I can't keep running after you cleaning up your messes. I gotta get in a good university. Grow up passed this."

Jinx rolled her eyes. "Always about you you you. So selfish."

"I'm selfish!? If you thought about anyone else beside your own self you'd see that your antics cause trouble not just for you! But others around you! And whoa and behold that usually falls on ME!" Vi hefted Jinx up and pushed her against the wall. She was way stronger than everyone gave credit for. She pinned Jinx down with a single hand "I was okay with it when we were kids. I thought if I acted like a big sister you'd at least see a role model and grow up out of these pranks."

"A big sister, you? If you were a big sister to me, you'd wouldn't have ditched me as soon as you did. Once you moved to Piltover you acted like you didn't even know me, or Ekko for that matter! Friends don't do that, friends don't ditch. Leaving us in the lurch like that so you can be all prissy up in Piltover was something a REAL sister would never do."

Vi's galre softened. "I tried. I really did. I hung out when I could and let Caitlyn tag along. But you didn't make it easier either. All you did when Caitlyn was over was antagonize her. She still thinks you hate her for no reason. I knew you were just joking, growing up in Zaun I got that same sense of humor as you. Caitlyn- Cait doesn't though."

"So you dumped us for her." Jinx's head dipped. She tsk'd hard, biting back the more hurtful retort building on her lips.

"You didn't give me a choice. You didn't want to grow up or change even just a little bit." Vi broke eye contact, looking over her shoulder to stare at nothing in particular. When she looked back to Jinx, she fixed her with the most earnest look. "She- she's the best thing that happened to me. That's the honest truth. I've never tried so hard at school until I met her. Hell that universary I'm gunning for is the same one she's going to. And you just made it so… so hard." Vi's head dipped too. Her voice carrying a weight Jinx never heard before. "You and Ekko, messing with us, messing with the school when you know we're both on the Disciplinary Committee, and just being your immature self. You know why you haven't been expelled despite all the shit you caused, all the classes you skipped? I vouched for you, Ekko did too. I knew that even if you were pissed with me, pissed at Caitlyn, I still had to be there for you somehow… Ekko understood, even if he never really said it."

Jinx wriggled beneath Vi's grip. She didn't budge. "I'm trying to get better too you know, I'm changing."

Vi barked a laugh.

"No honest. I- there's." She searched her brain for some plausible way to tell Vi that the world is in danger and that to help save it Jinx had to blow up the courtyard with a few dozen illegal firecrackers. "The Star Guardians asked me for help." Jinx cringed at her own words as soon as they left her mouth.

"Right." Vi hefted Jinx up, and rifled through her pockets. "I'm taking your lighter, your cell, and…" Vi held up a pair of brass knuckles. Real ones this time. "You know these are beyond illegal, even for minors, right?"

"It was to save lives." Jinx kicked her feet.

"We're going to see Vice Principal Kayle." Vi pushed her along. Exiting the infirmary, "Maybe I can get you some leeway or maybe spin it somehow so it wasn't your fault entirely. Blame that purple guy everyone's talking about." Jinx highly doubted that. They walked further into the hallway. Everyone who was left in the school was now outside waiting for the all clear to head back inside. The halls were empty and the fire alarm was dying to a faint whine.

The two passed by some club rooms, clubs too large to use the rooms upstairs. Such as the Art and Chemistry clubs. When they came to the stairway. They saw Veigar hauling in an armful of plants up the stairs. Some potted, some not. A trail of dirt behind him tracing his way back from the school entrance.

"Veigar! What are you doing?" Vi called after him, looking at mess he was making.

Veigar stopped in his steps and turned around. Dirt shaking loose from his grip. He looked to Vi, with Jink held firmly in her grip, and down to his armful of plants. "Um, Lulu needs me to put these back."

"Inside? Where you gonna plant them, between the floorboards?"

"They're for the Occult club, which I'm a member of, and we have pots for them. I was going to put them back and then head back to class" Veigar said. A little apprehensive about heading to the Occult Club's room. But if Lulu was heading out to fight Malzahar, then it must be safe, at least for now.

A little thought nagged at Jinx's brain. She was told something very important that involved the Occult club. Something that also involved Veigar somehow. Dammit she should have payed more attention to when Lux was blabbering about Guardian stuff last night. There was suppose to be a connection to the club and...

Vi shook her head. "I don't have time for this. Veigar don't go skipping the emergency procedure, it causes too much of a hassle for the teachers if they find a student missing. Drop off your stupid plants, and meet back up with your homeroom teacher. Then figure out what to do with this mess later."

Veigar nodded, it was a light slap on the wrist as punishments went, especially when compared to the earful he got for staying past curfew at the girls dorm. It hurt more when Lulu said she was very upset how their plants were treated, even after he assured her he would never do such a thing. He must of just left the Occult window open and they fell outside by accident. Maybe a gust of wind or Syndra being careless. Can they blame him for not wanting to go back to that club anytime soon?

The three went their separate ways. Jinx mind was racking, something was telling her this was very wrong. She dragged her feet, and Vi growled and lifted her up off her feet, almost tucking her under her arm. Jinx looked up to see Shiro and Kuro watching Veigar with a bit of worry. _Something, about the void, and about… Al._ She felt a small bit of darkness lingering in her chest. It pulled at her senses. Her eyes went wide as she looked to see Veigar round the last of the steps, and to club he was heading straight towards. "WAIT!"

* * *

Lux parried the spear with her baton, the tip coming too close to her face for her own liking. The spearhead dug into the wall behind her. Little bits of plaster and flecks of chipped paint drifted down onto her. She braced herself and brough the shaft of her baton up into the soldier's chin. Dropping them like a ragdoll. It annoyed her. These people for some reason didn't behave like normal minions turned by Malzahar. They were more like the 'zombies' she fought all those weeks ago in the school gym. They would turn back to human as soon as she blasted them with magic, but if left unchecked control over them would resume. That must mean there was a main minion in control of these lesser ones.

Sounds of thundering steps echoed down the hall and Lux cursed. She had to think while on the move. Stay still too long and she risks getting cornered. She ran and ducked into a meeting room. The automated lights flicked on for a moment, before she forced them off by slamming her baton into the light switch. A small spark fizzling between the cracked plastic. The room fell back into darkness. Beneath the door light spilled in from the hall. Lux could see the shadows of soldiers run by.

Five seconds there was silence. Lux pressed her ear hard against the door. She heard nothing, the soldiers have passed by none the wiser.

"Lux, I made it to the twentieth floor, no um strike that. twenty-second floor." Poppy's voice called out from her phone. Lux hastily turned the volume down. Praying that none of the soldiers heard it. When no shadows returned Lux let out a sigh of relief.

She held her phone up, "I'm only at the third. The first floor lobby had vaulted ceilings, I jumped to the inner balcony and ran. I can't find any stairs, it's like this place is a maze." Lux peered out from her hiding spot. She had to be stealthy, if she got caught she would expend too much magic trying to get uncaught. She had to get to Poppy and get the hell out of dodge. The coast looked to be clear, and Lux slunk back down to catch her breath.

"Ugh this is going to take too long. I can't keep fighting my way down, there's just too many of these guys." Poppy said, as she found a small snack nook to huddle herself into. The small of a fresh pot of coffee brewing wafted into the air.

"I know what you mean, but to stop them we will have to find the one controlling all the others." Lux sat down onto the long table meant to seat at least twelve others.

"And Malzahar?"

"We look for Malzahar only after Janna and Lulu join us. We can't fight him with only the two of us." Lux stood, her voice turning hard to get her point across. Technically they're in this mess because Poppy struck out on her own.

"And what about the sun disc outside? They won't be able to just join us here, they'll have to fight their way up too, unless we do something about that thing." Poppy ducked down when soldier walked by. When he didn't return Poppy rose back up. Her head poking out to check her surroundings. She hustled across the hall to a nearby bathroom and found an unoccupied stall. Her feet stood on the seat so she wouldn't be noticed.

Lux rubbed at her temples. The disc wasn't connected to the building. There wasn't a powerstation or control room she could disable like in all those sci-fi stories she read. Who ever controlled that thing was either going to be the main minion or Malzahar himself. "Uh, this- this building. It's obviously an office. There's cubicles and meeting rooms all around me."

"Okay…" Poppy held her nose, disliking the smell of the room.

"Is there like a ceo office upstairs?" Lux asked. It was a wild guess at best. There was no reason the minion had to be the ceo, but if all the others were just lackies, then it made the most sense.

"...Wait yes. There's still three floors above me, one had restricted access. The elevators had to had a keycard to unlock it... you think Malzahar is held up there?"

"It's out best shot. Even if he isn't in there, whoever is controlling this building must be." Lux paused. "Wait you took the elevator?"

"Yeah, once." Poppy said scoffing, "I barely made it a single floor before the whole thing filled with goons. I had to fight my way out after that."

"Alright, stick to the staircases then. We can at least fly through those and it'll be a lot safer."

"You can fly. I just sorta leap between floors."

"Meet on the twenty-fourth floor. We'll figure out what to do about that card access later. Worst comes to worst, we can smash our way through with your hammer." The two hung up and made a break for their respective stairways.

Lux opened the door and ran down the hall. She paused when she passed by a plaque detailing where to go during an emergency. She traced the dotted line with her finger. This place was built like a maze, so many hallways lead back in on themselves and more often than not led back to work stations. Like the building was designed to keep any workers hired here from escaping. She memorized the rout and headed off.

She rounded three corners before she ran into another set of soldiers. Not wanting to fight Lux hovered in the air. Light enveloped her in a protective shield as she raced across the hall, her back pressed against the ceiling. Spearheads jabbed upward, crashing into her protections. Spiderweb cracks spread across the shield as each spear head landed far too close to her. Once she was clear of their spears Lux landed in a roll. Not stopping in the slightest to see the soldiers stumble to turn and chase after her. Lux could see the stairwell just before her. When she neared, the door crashed open and a gold shield slam into her. She fell back in a heap and the soldier holding a tower shield nearly their height stood before her, blocking the path to the stairwell. Lux cursed and looked to see that the set of soldiers she meant to bypass are now coming up on her rear. Looking back to the shieldbearer, she saw that two others have decided to join them, flanking each side and blocking the rest of the hallway off.

Lux took a defensive stance, her baton charging with magic light.

Twenty floors above Lux, Poppy found herself crouched underneath a desk as a set of soldiers methodically searched each cubicle. Carefully she braced the head of her hammer against the desk. Leveraging it just so. When a pair of armor clad feet came into view Poppy heaved the hammer around, throwing the desk at the unsuspecting soldiers. The desk fell atop of them, effectively pinning them beneath it. She hopped over them, getting just out of reach of their hands. She smirked at them, they weren't so tough. They fell just as easily as those annoying voidlings Malzahar loved so much. Poppy ducked under another desk as more soldiers came toward her. Again she launch the desk at them, and they scattered before the cheap furniture hit them. With a gap open in their ranks Poppy charged through. The soldiers not wanting to be flattened in her wake stepped aside, all except one. This one lowered a shield between him and her. With a bit of force he drove the pointed end of the shield down into the floor, cracking the tile floor below.

Poppy smirked, she dipped her shoulder and sped forward. Her charge stop dead in her tracks as her shoulder connected to the gold plated shield. She recoiled just enough for the shieldbearer to readjust and slam their shield into Poppy's open side. The yordle flew into an unoccupied cubicle, the partition wall shattered into many tiny pieces and the desk broke in two under her weight. Poppy groaned in pain. She pushed aside the computer monitor that fell atop of her and untangled herself from its cords. She rolled to the side instinctively as a spear whizzed passed her. Poppy brought her hammer down snapping the weaker weapon in twain. Her eyes landed on the shieldbearer. "Tough guy huh." She swung her hammer back round, as she took in her new predicament.

* * *

Ezreal looked around his class, searching in vain for a particular classmate of his, in the back of his head he already knew she wouldn't be here. Their homeroom finished up her own headcount, noting the missing students herself. Ez felt a tap on his shoulder and he spun to see Jayce standing behind him. He sighed "I don't see Lux anywhere…" Ezreal said his eyes falling to his feet and admitting to himself that she was still out there doing guardian stuff.

Jayce pat his friend on the shoulder. "They don't know where Jinx went either. They say she left morning classes in a huff and Lux ran to look after her. That's the last anyone saw of them. Until, well you know, Jinx decided to cut afternoon classes short. No one wants to volunteer to look for her either."

"I don't blame them. Especially with what happened yesterday. Maybe she's still under that purple robe's thrall." Ezreal mused, he thought back to how he ran into Lux in the morning. He didn't see Jinx at all, and Lux headed off to the rooftops. If anything she's got her hands full and this is all unrelated. Doubtful, but Ezreal was keeping his hopes up. He saw Ahri move through the crowd, an expensive looking camera held up at the ready. The girl's eyes darting about expectantly. Ezreal pushed his way past his classmates and to Ahri, Jayce following just behind. "Ahri!"

"Ez, don't distract me, I know for a fact this has Star Guardian written all over it, and I'm not missing them again." She showed the camera too him, it clearly wasn't hers and the label stuck across the top said 'Photography Club' proved it, "No more cruddy blurry pictures."

Jayce shrugged. "Doubt it. They're off in Shurima, this is just Jinx acting out again."

Ahri rounded on him, "Yeah? Like, how would you know?"

Jayce smiled smugly, "Cause I saw guardian this morning." When Ahri's eyes went wide, his smugness grew. "She was heading south, towards Shurima. And all those blogs, you know the ones that aren't yours, the better ones, posted about a golden army coming out of the Ascended Tech building."

Arhi fummed, and sent a glare towards Ms. Laurent who had confiscated her phone right as class began. She had no knowledge of any of that and she was suppose to be the Guardian's biggest fan, and now the school's wannabe playboy is showing her up. "Then what is Jinx's deal, why is she threatening to blow up the school like some psycho? I thought the guardians beat that out of her yesterday."

Ezreal and Jayce both shrugged. "I'm not going to even try to understand her." Ezreal said, "She ruined my favorite shirt cause I ran into her tagging up a back alley."

"Yeah and didn't she do the same with Lux's shirt?" Jayce added.

"Blouse, but yeah." Ezreal corrected.

"Ugh, I can't believe Ekko could stand to hang out with her. He's too cool to run in the same circle as that weirdo." Ahri said.

"Actually, some first years said that Ekko has been acting weird since this morning." Jayce whispered, getting into gossip mode. "Maybe that's related."

Ahri perked up, "Ooo, maybe." She looked to either side, huddling in close to both Ezreal and Jayce. "They used to go out in middle school, but broke up after only three months."

Jayce leaned in closing the circle. Hanging onto Ahri's words

Ezreal pinched his nose, "You two gossip too much, That's got nothing to do with Ekko, he wasn't anywhere near the Jinx incident last night."

"Untrue! There's rumor saying he was the one to bring her out of her rampage when the guardians couldn't." Jayce practically bounced. Ezreal shot him a quizzical glance, wondering when Jayce was able to pick up that rumor.

"Un-untrue!" Ahri cut in. "The guardians wouldn't have any trouble stopping someone like Jinx. That black ghost thing that destroyed my phone was so much scarier than that twiggy girl."

"Either way!" Ezreal's voice rose, "Ekko wasn't with Jinx when she started setting off those fireworks. If he is involved he wouldn't leave Jinx to take the blame like that. He'd at least try to cover her tracks, or take the blame with her."

Ahri pushed Ezreal aside, and pointed a slim finger pass the crowd. "Well we could always ask him." The two boys followed her finger and saw Ekko numbly making his way back into the school building. He swayed and stumbled, like his legs couldn't keep himself balanced. No one else seemingly noticed him head back inside, through the main doors nonetheless.

Now technically all three of them were already in trouble. Ezreal and Jayce were both late for class and got caught trying to ditch afternoon classes. And Ahri had several marks against her about abusing personal devices during class time, and also stolen school property was literally in her hands. So they can't get in trouble for things they already got busted for. At least that's what all three told themselves.

"We need a distraction-"

"IT'S JINX SCATTER!" Ahri yelled. All the students ran as if a swarm of bees were dropped at their feet, several making a break for the school gate. The last school period the furthest thing from their minds. The teachers struggled to get their charges in line, while at the same time looking for the student responsible for causing yet more panic. Ahri grabbed the boy's hands and ran toward the school.

Rounding the corner, a voidling watched the crowd unnoticed.

…

Veigar paused as Jinx yelled at him, he waited for her to say more, but Vi cut in before she could. "Jinx stop." She fixed Jinx with a hard glare, over her shoulder she told Veigar to just ignore her.

"No, Lux said something very important to me, and Veigar needs to know!" Jinx yelled again.

Veigar paused again, his body turning just so he was now facing them directly. Now even more concerned. What could Lux possibly say to Jinx, that Veigar needed to know? Well he had a guess, and he didn't like where that train of thought lead. "W-what did she say?"

"Don't" Vi sighed, "Don't encourage her."

Roars of panic picked up outside, making everyone stop in their tracks. Vi looked down to Jinx, who shrugged. She set off the last of her fireworks fifteen minutes ago. The only thing left of those should be ash marks all over the dirt ground

"Wasn't me." Jinx looked down the hall where the rest of the school body was rioting.

Veigar jumped down from the stairs and stood behind Vi for protection. Vi noticed and subconsciously pushed Jinx behind her too. They saw the shadow of someone coming down the hall, staggering ominously. Vi cleared her throat. "H-hey!" No answer. She paused and turned to the two, "Stay here, and don't make me regret this." The last part was mainly for Jinx, as Vi set the girl down and let her go. Vi straightened and took two deliberate steps down the hall. "Ms. Laurent? Coach Braum? What's going on outside?"

When Ekko stepped around the corner Vi let out a sigh of relief, then growled, "Ekko, don't scare us like that, man." When he didn't respond, Vi grew concerned. She took a step closer to him, when Jinx rushed passed her. "Hey, don't-" She cut herself off when Jinx grabbed hold of Ekko and started looking him over like a worried mother.

Jinx smiled when she saw that Ekko wasn't hurt. Still missing a soul, but unhurt. "Phew, knew you wouldn't cause any trouble on your own." Jinx shot a quick look to Vi and Veigar, she turned and took Ekko's head in her hands. She looked at him dead in the eyes. "Pay close attention, I need you to take Veigar back to his dorm. Lock the doors. Shits going down, and I'm fifty percent sure Malzahar might be in this building. Call it a gut feeling."

Veigar's grip on Vi tightened like a vice as he heard Malzahar's name. He was now convinced going back upstairs would be a terrible idea. He could just take the plants back to his room, Lulu would like that. When the sounds of running came down the hall, he yelped, and dropped more crumbs of dirt to the ground. Jinx took Ekko by the arm and scooted back to Vi's side, trying hard to summon the light inside her to shine.

"There he is- uh" Ezreal rounded the corner and slowed down when he saw Jinx holding Ekko, his eyes darted to him to Jinx and then to Vi and Veigar also standing in the hall. "Whoops."

"Wh- th-, Ez? I swear if anyone else is caught ditching the emergency procedure they're seriously gonna regret it." Vi said, anger rolling back into her voice. As if on cue, Ahri and Jayce rounded the corner and crashed into Ezreal. The three of them falling into a pile at Vi's feet "Alright. Everyone get in line right now or I'm gonna slug you so hard you entire arm goes numb!" Both Jayce and Ezreal fell right in line, both very familiar with how hard Vi can punch and would rather avoid it as much as possible. Ahri on the other hand didn't care but also knew that it's better to listen than to dig herself a bigger hole.

Jinx and Ekko on the other hand took hold of Veigar. "Sorry Fat Hands, this is really important. And Veigar will vouch for me when I say it's a better idea to get out of this school before-"

"Before what?"

"Before Malzahar shows up." Veigar said.

Jinx looked down and nodded, finally somebody on her side. Everyone else gave him a confused look.

Veigar wracked his brain, he looked to Ahri, "The, uh, the purple robe guy!" When he saw that no one but Jinx believed him he pressed on. "That time when Lulu and I got beat up, we lied and said it was some delinquents, it was actually the purple robe, Malzahar. He tried to suck out my soul. The Guardians saved me." He purposely left out the part where he fought off the Star Guardians, that isn't really relevant to the current situation.

Jinx pointed to Ekko and herself. "That's what happened to me and Ekko yesterday! I got turned into a weapon and attacked the dorm, and he turned into a braindead lump."

Vi raised her hands. "Okay, okay. So then why did you try to blow up the school today?"

"The other guardians needed to get to Shurima, and were stuck in class. I offered to make a distraction, which I did." Jinx looked very proud of her involvement, or her homemade fireworks, it is hard to distinguish.

"The first bit is true, don't know about the other half." Jayce said. He quickly showed the others the growing number of posts about the gold tower in Shurima and the ancient soldiers coming out of it.

"So I was right, the Guardians are from our school!" Ahri said. She reached for her own phone, forgetting that Ms. Laurent had confiscated it.

Vi cut in before the everything spun off into a tangent. "Then if they're in Shurima, why would Malzahar be here," She gestured to the school around her. "And how would you know?"

Jinx shrugged, "Don't know why he'd be here, Lu- uh huh hah," Jinx coughed into her hand to cover her almost slip. Only Ezreal really caught on. "The Pink one said he was close to the Purple one before he turned evil. Maybe he was feeling nostalgic? As for how I know he's here. I still feel like I got his evil magic in my system, like a weird connection to him, so I get a feeling that we really shouldn't be here if it's this strong."

Veigar nodded enthusiastically. "I agree, let's go." He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, already inching closer to the school doors. Afraid of a repeat encounter.

"Jinx isn't certain he's here though, and you, all of you, are still in trouble." Vi said trying to regain control of everyone.

"Uh Vi…" Ezreal said, finally joining in. He raised a hand and far down the hallway, the chittering legs of a voidling came into view. The bug like head jerked back and force looking for anyone still inside the school. "I think we should listen to Jinx…"

Everyone's eyes went to the voidling and an uncomfortable silence spread. Vi corralled everyone behind her, making sure that she was out in front. The voidling turned and saw them, in a burst of speed it ran after them. Everyone started running as fast as they could.

* * *

Janna and Lulu flew through the sky, the wind racing past them and whipping their hair in a fury. They were barely able to get out of the school before everyone else evacuated. It would have been harder to justify leaving if they got caught in the crowd with everyone else. Janna looked back and could see the student body streaming out of the gates. She would have to talk to Jinx about this later. For now.

They duo bee lined it to the Ascended Tech building. The building was clearly the tallest within Shurima, even more so now that a giant sun disc adorned the top of it. As they got closer the disc turned and focused on them. The light on its surface focused suddenly and Janna quickly diverted behind another building. She pulled on Lulu's staff to herd her along with her.

The sun beam crashed into the building a second after they broke line of sight. Concrete debris rained down to the ground and several windows shatter at the impact. They each shielded themselves, protecting each other from the debris.

Lulu shook off the dust from the attack. "We won't be able to get inside if that thing keeps attacking us."

"You're right, and I didn't see Lux or Poppy on the ground. They got inside somehow and we need to follow suit." Janna lead them back to the ground. She peered around the corner and saw that the sun disc was scanning the area once again.

Lulu reached for her phone and called Poppy. Nothing, the line was busy and couldn't connect. "I still can't get a hold of Poppy."

…

Lux felt the spear slice her calf and she fell down to her knee. She rolled forward and left a singularity in her place. It detonated and sent the surrounding soldiers stumbling back, momentarily shaking off the effects of the possession. The shieldbearers blocking her path were unaffected and marched forward. With each step they slammed their shields down, enforcing their defense. Each spell Lux threw at them they seemed to shrug off, bouncing ineffectually off their shield. She needed to land a solid attack on their person to get pass them. Hard to do when their whole body with that shield.

The soldiers beside her groaned and she could tell they would resume their assault if she stayed. Where could she go though? Behind her was rows of soldiers, and in front were the shield bearers.

Poppy wiped blood from her mouth. Conventual weapon or not, that shield could pack a punch. She spun her hammer around her and the surrounding soldiers all took a step back. Any who didn't felt their spear get ripped out of their hand, and fell to the side from the impact. She took a batters stance and swung her hammer hard at the shieldbearer. The man dug in his feat and braced hard against the attack. A resounding shockwave erupted when the two collided. The shieldbearer felt their knees buckle and the floor crack. Poppy's eyes glinted, even though her hands throbbed in pain. An idea formed. She spun her hammer again, keeping the soldiers at bay while she cocked back another loaded hammer swing.

Light built up in the hammer's head and Poppy swung down with all she could. She struck the floor and the tiles cracked in a familiar star pattern. The impact shook the entire building. Poppy smiled, finally all her practice paid off. She took a step back and smiled at the shieldbearer. He looked confused, not understanding that the attack wasn't meant for him. She saluted a goodbye, and the floor broke beneath his feet. He fell to the floor below. Poppy looked down and noticed he was unconscious. She turned to the soldiers still facing her. She raised her hammer ready to start swinging. All the soldiers subconsciously took a step back.

Lux felt the building shudder, the soldiers around her looked around for the source. Some filed in the back broke off to start searching. Lux smiled, Poppy was faring much better than herself. Still that didn't change the fact she was surrounded.

The shieldbearer took three quick steps and slammed their shield forward. Lux leapt up and used it as a springboard, the added momentum carried her farther than she could on her own. It only partially worked to get her out of the fire she was stuck in. Some soldiers anticipated her move and she felt hot pain in her arm and side as spears cut pass her barrier spell. She landed hard on the floor but kept her momentum going and skidded down the hall. She felt her phone ring and saw that it was Poppy again.

"I have an idea." Poppy said without preamble. "I'm on the right side of the buildings, near the window facing the street. Try and get to the same side."

"Okay…" Lux said, watching the soldiers behind her try to chase after her. She had no idea where Poppy was going with this. She zig -zagged and found a large cafeteria area meant for workers to have their lunch break in.

"I'm going to make several holes in the floors, and power my way down to you!" Poppy said way more enthusiastically than what was necessary.

"Poppy-" Lux was cut off when the building shook violently. She cursed… she hated to admit it, but it was their best idea. "At least stay away from any support beams!"

…

Outside Janna sent a torrent of wind to push a row of soldiers away from the door. Once they were clear, Lulu zoomed inside. They barricaded themselves inside the lobby. Using several spears taken from soldiers to jam the doors, looping them between the handles and propping them against the glass.

"I highly doubt this will keep them out for long." Janna said. The soldiers outside were already throwing their bodies against the glass.

"It's plexiglass. Resistant to impacts, most office buildings use it cause it's much stronger than normal glass." Lulu said. Watching them take turns.

Janna raised an eyebrow, wondering how Lulu would know this.

"Veigar told me." She said with a shrug. "He reads all sorts of things. I think he read that during the time he was researching how to ward a home from evil spirits. It kind of spiraled off into architecture when he needed to look up how to build a home from scratch."

The building shook, and a loud crash sounded further up the building. Janna and Lulu shared a look, then looked to the soldiers, also wondering what that was. A second later they resumed their assault, now even more desperate to get inside so they can protect their office from whoever is demolishing it.

"I'm going to guess that was Poppy." Janna said. Already getting ready to fly to the inner balcony that lead to the third floor.

"Who else could it be." Lulu agreed.

They took off, heading towards the source of the noise.

…

Lux threw another singularity at the soldiers feet. They dove out of the way. Just long enough for Lux to close off the last doorway leading to the cafeteria. She used her binding light to keep the doors closed. Locking it for any who would try to break through. It felt draining to keep multiples of the spell going but she needed to keep this area secure. The building shook again, it was extremely loud and nearby this time. There was even dust coming off the ceiling. By her count Poppy should be literally right above her one floor up.

Lux brace herself when she heard another crash. She saw the ceiling crack a few feet from her and she hastily moved out of the way. The ceiling tiles fell in a heap as did many, many desks and computers. All around Poppy was debris as she landed hard on the floor. Sweat trickled off her forehead and she was taking ragged breaths. It was exhausting keeping up the rampage that was her escape plan. She knelt down and used her hammer as a cane to hold herself up. She looked around and saw Lux, she gave a weak thumbs up.

"Good to see you." Lux said, half laughing. She came over to Poppy and looked up. Twenty identical holes lined up perfectly lead back to the top of the building. She was amazed at the power Poppy had in her. She knew she was the strongest in a down and out knock out fight, but this really put it in perspective. Lux helped her friend to her feet. "No time to rest we still need to see if Janna or Lulu got our message."

Poppy nodded. She hefted her hammer up and felt its comforting weight atop her shoulder.

"Ahem… leaving so soon?" The duo turned to see a man flanked by many soldiers, he stood by the hole Poppy just made. His golden hawk like helmet glinted in the light, and matched the ones his soldiers wore, if a bit more ostentatious. The tassels of his cape fluttered down as he jump through the hole. His scepter pointed at them, "You will pay for the damages done to my building by working as my office slave, even if it will take you a hundred years."

Poppy reared her hammer back. Lux too struck a fighting pose. "Where's your master Malzahar?"

"I'm the only master here, Ascended Tech is my empire and mine alone," The man said. He fixed them with a cold all too knowing look. "There's no Malzahar here."

The two girls gave each other a surprised and uneasy look.

* * *

Vi and Jayce threw themselves against the double doors of the science room, while Ezreal and Jinx found chairs to blockade it. The chittering outside got louder and the doors bucked against them. Vi cursed loudly, she positioned her so that she had her shoulder pressed hard against it. Jayce had his back to the door and quickly took the chair from Ezreal. He turned and jammed it hard against the doorknob and floor. Jinx came up and did the same with the other doorknob. The bucking stopped. The skittering legs of the voidling ran down the hall out of hearing range.

Jayce sighed in relief. "Okay I think we're safe in here."

"And trapped!" Ahri said. She was pacing back and forth while Ekko and Veigar huddled in the corner. She ran a hand through her hair. "Ugh this is great, I'm like gonna die surrounded with the losers of the school, well some of the losers."

Everyone looked at each other wonder if they were one of the 'losers'. Jayce was convinced he wasn't one, while everyone else was convinced he was one. Vi clapped her hands, getting the attention of everyone inside. As the oldest person here and also part of the disciplinary committee she thought she had a responsibility over the others' safety. "We can still leave through the windows, we're on the first floor and these ones open all the way. Once we're out we can make a break for it" She walked over to the window and peeked through the blinds. From what she could see there were voidlings lingering about, almost like they were patrolling.

"But is that even safe?" Ahri said. "We'll have to get to the gate and that's all the way on the other side of the school!"

Vi bit her lip. She figured she be able to outrun the voidlings. Ezreal and Jinx were quick on their feet. She wasn't so sure about Veigar, his stubby legs couldn't carry him that far, and Ekko was definitely out of the question. Shit, that probably meant jumping the fence was also out of the question too.

Jinx groaned, she couldn't believe she had to do this. "I got a secret passage through the old storage shed… I popped the lock off a year ago and blew a hole in the back of it..."

Vi frowned, "We'll talk about that after we get out of here." She resumed looking out of the window. The last voidling walked around the building leaving this side of the school empty. "Coast is clear… on the count of three we make a rush for the shed." She looked to the others in the room. Everyone had a face hardened with resolve, they nodded in return. Vi held out a silent hand, ticking off a countdown.

On three she threw open the window and got on leg up on the windowsill when a voidling pounced down from the window above her. She screamed as she fell back into the room. Ahri quickly moved to close the window as Ezreal and Jayce pulled the voidling off her back. When it fell off Jinx came up on it with a chair and slammed down hard with her improvised weapon. The voidling screeched and died as the back of the chair broke its neck.

Vi groaned as she felt her shoulder. It felt wet and when she pulled her hand back she saw that it was covered in blood. Her mind flashbacked to that time in the gym when she got in that fight with Darius, she cursed aloud. "Dammit, not again…" She fell forward onto the floor.

Ahri took a few steps closer to check on Vi. Ezreal and Jinx came up beside her and pulled her away, knowing full well what would happen next. Before them they could see a haze of purple magic envelope Vi. Her school uniform transformed into metal armor and the magic condensed around her arms. It formed large blocky gauntlets that weighed her arms down. Using them to prop herself back up, Vi stood and rolled her shoulders unencumbered by the new weight. Her eyes were a hazy purple as she looked at the others trapped in the room with her.

"Great, what else could go wrong!" Jinx whined.

* * *

"I assure you, the guardians are all distracted and away from the portal. I sent a swarm of voidlings to ensure no one else will come close to the school. Those who hadn't evacuated will be turned into a pawn." Malzahar said through gritted teeth. He grunted in pain as he stood atop of the school, the portal before him growing larger and larger. The infinite pages of Mejai's tome fluttered erratically as the torrent of power raged.

"We will see. Anchor the portal to the leylines. It is time to _Herald_ the coming of the void." Vel'Koz said.

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap! So sorry if this is feeling like things are moving too fast. I'm getting excited for this all over again. Let me know what ya'll think!

Rufael - Over the hiatus I debated this idea… Before I was all for a sequel, totally excited to have a whole arc devoted to the recruitment of the new guardians. But… after that hiatus hit, I realized I should maybe buffer myself with smaller shorter stories before diving head first into another epic. So no, only the main team will show up in this story. And maybe later I'll write a story for the new guardians. One with a much smaller scope.

See you all soon, I mean it this time. Love you, bye~!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: League of Legends is owned by Riot, I own nothing.

A/N: Not much to say for this preamble. So let's just dive right into it!

On with the show~!

* * *

Sivir waited at the cafe, across from her an attractive yet unwelcomed tag along. She held her phone up close to her head and used it to shield herself from looking into Cassiopeia's playful gaze. School got cut short for… uh… various reasons, and she had to tell her dad, well dad's chauffeur, to come pick her up early. She didn't want the driver to be waiting at the school by accident, and she wasn't going to wait there for him to show up. Hell with how Jinx was acting since yesterday, she really didn't want to subject anyone to that load of crazy. Instead she decided to cut the chauffeur a break and have her pick her up at a nearby cafe. Not a great one but at least one that served decent coffee and had some cute cakes for sale. She had been waiting her for a while now, her dad was usually adamant about keeping tabs on her, practically control all aspects of her life, so it was a little concerning that he hadn't picked up yet. She got voicemail once again and Sivir scoffed and shoved her phone into her bag. Great.

"You can come hang out at my dorm for a bit if daddy isn't coming." Cassi said nonchalantly. She sipped her coffee and tucked a short strand of hair behind her ear. Her hand brushing her neck and parting her collar a little bit further.

Sivir chose not to look, forced herself really. "Yeah right, last time I came over-"

Cassi eyes glinted mischievously.

Sivir blushed furiously. "I-I am going! I'll just walk. It's not that far." She sprang up from her seat, trying to put as much distance from her and Cassi as possible. _She's nothing but trouble, she's nothing but trouble._ She repeated to herself like a montra. There were many rumors about how much of a snake in the grass Cassiopeia is. She leached and used people for her own fun and games, and dumped them to the side whenever she got bored of them. Sivir refused to be one of those people, despite how much… fun it was… Nope, that was the first and last time she was going to make that mistake. She noticed that Cassi was following her, coming up to her side. Sivir moved her bag to her other side when Cassi tried to hook her arm around hers to block the unwelcome advances.

"Aww, c'mon don't play hard to get. I know, we can go out to eat. Somewhere in Shurima so your dad doesn't throw a fit. He owns like half the town, so he's got nothing to worry about, and then we can slip off to-"

"Don't you, I don't know, have something else to do? Maybe you can hangout with your sister instead." Sivir said.

"Pff, Kat turned into a big stick in the mud ever since she started trying to woo that golden boy Garen." Cassi rolled her eyes. Honestly she didn't know what she saw in him. The guy was absolutely no fun and too dumb for her own taste. "He's such a square… I prefer my toys to be more," Her hands wrapped around Sivir's waist. "Curvy."

A hot shiver ran up Sivir's back. She swatted Cassi's hands away and walked much faster. Moving across the street while no cars were around. She kept up the pace until she could see the familiar streets of Shurima. She sighed in relief. There was no way Cassiopeia was going to follow her into her father's company building. And if she did, Sivir could always get security to kick her out for her. Sivir rounded the corner and stopped in her tracks. Her father's company, the whole building had transformed. It was golden and adorned in all manners of gaudy eagle and hawk themed accents. Not only that but there was a giant sun disc floating above it. "What the hell?"

Sivir heard the stomping footsteps of ancient looking soldiers. They were making a beeline straight to her.

* * *

Lux and Poppy slowly circled the man adorned in gold armor. His hawk helmet watching their every move with cold calculations. The soldiers at his side had their spears trailing them, ready to strike at a moments notices.

"If Malzahar isn't here, then where is he?" Lux asked. Her eyes darting to the nearby windows. Bad idea. As soon as they tried to jump out that damned sun disc will blow them out of the air. She twirled her baton and light built up at each end. The shieldbearers next to their leader stood ready to jump in the way to tank the hit for him.

The man smiled. "I have no idea."

"Liar." Poppy said, "He's probably hiding somewhere in this building like the coward he is."

The man spread his arms wide, "You've crashed through every floor of my building, and yet you never ran into any sign of him. He is not here, and I have no idea where he is. All I know is that you will not be leaving this building." He pointed his staff at the girls. All the soldiers in the room charged towards them like a line of jousters.

Lux let loose a large singularity at her feet. The ensuing explosion blinding and pushing back any would be attackers. Poppy grabbed hold of Lux and jumped up, taking her through the hole in the ceiling. As soon as they got clear, Lux let loose another singularity down the hole. The shieldbearers stepped forward blocking the spell for their master. The soldiers still left standing leapt up through the hold, following after the guardians, spears jabbing outward when they got close.

Poppy reared back and struck any that came jumping up through the hole with her hammer. Like a game of whack a mole. Quickly they were over runned by their numbers and had to back up. Poppy growled, "Ugh who is his guy? How come he got all this mooks with him? It wasn't like this when we fought any of his other minions."

"He does have a stronger hold than the other minions Malzahar had used. For one he seems to be in control of not only his mind but of everyone else too." Lux watched the soldiers form ranks again, moving so fluidly they must share some kind of mental link with their master.

"That makes it all that much harder." Poppy threw her buckler and knock out an advancing soldier. Herself giving ground as they found their backs to a wall. "I couldn't hammer my way through those shield guys, they're incredibly tough."

"Yeah I had the same problem. My spells bounced off their shields and if they keep that close to him, we won't be able to get a clear angle of attack." Lux laid out several spells at her feet, laying a proverbial minefield. Any that tried to come up where met with a quick burst of light. The soldiers lined up, forming a semi circle around the girls. Each one leveled a spear at them, and the row behind did the same angled up. A barrier of spears stood before Lux and Poppy _Dammit, cornered again._

The man jumped through the hole in the floor. His tassel cape flowing behind him. He landed with more grace than either girl thought he had. "You are only delaying the inevitable. Surrounded and nowhere to go. It would be quicker and easier for both of us for you to surrender."

"Yeah, and I suppose you'll let us live if we do that? Fat chance birdbrain." Poppy threw her shield, it ricocheted off the ceiling and flew over the spear line. While she struggled with geometry, she had a knack for angling her shield to strike her opponents at odd angles. An attentive shieldbearer caught it across their own shield and Poppy cursed.

"The name is Omah Azir," He said brushing off some dust from his shoulder. They could hear his smugness through that gaudy helm of his. "And yes, I would. I could always use some strong and capable girls."

Lux and Poppy grimaced.

"Not like that!" Azir said frazzled. He straightened himself, forcing his voice to calm. "My heir could use a good pair of attendees. Friends that would look after her, and keep an eye on her for me."

"We pass." Lux said. She shot out a binding spell, aimed wide. Poppy followed up by throwing another shield, it bounced off the wall and collided mid air with Lux's spell. The two different and yet similar magic mingled and bounced apart. The shieldbearers were caught off guard at the sudden misdirection. One caught the shield to the head and stumbled to the floor, dazed and head ringing. The other couldn't raise his shield fast enough to protect Azir. Lux and Poppy smiled, then frowned as they saw Azir dodge out of the way. He moved so fluidly, like sands shifting through an hourglass. One moment he was behind a phalanx of shieldbearers. The next he was standing several feet to the side, protectively shielded by another soldier. With a gesture, the same soldier came at Lux and Poppy spear out in front of him.

The spells Lux laid out previously exploded in a burst of light. The soldier fell but not before clearing the way for Azir to follow up with his scepter. He reared back to stab at Lux. Poppy came up and met the scepter with her hammer. The impact shook the two apart.

Azir bounced on his feet, steadying himself. Lux took that moment to shoot out another spell. And again he seemed to shift places. With amazing speed he was by another soldier's side. Poppy tried to follow after him, but found herself accosted by more soldiers charging toward her. That semi circle began to close around them like a noose. She had to break away or else she'd get run through. He was protected from their attacks by the mere fact that there will be someone else to take the blow for him. It was seriously pissing Poppy off.

Lux fended off her own set of attackers and saddled up to Poppy. "We need to thin his ranks. We can't pin him down if he keeps slipping from one soldier to the next. Especially when those he hides behind are the shield guys." Lux said.

"I agree." Poppy hefted her hammer. "But I'm starting to run on fumes, breaking through all those floors took a lot out of me."

A Soldier jumped through the hole in the floor and went to Azir's side. He whispered something and Azir stiffened. Quickly he brought more soldiers to his side to cover his retreat, and he moved to the hole in the ceiling this time. The semi circle of soldiers thinned, giving the girls enough breathing room.

"He's getting away!" Poppy said. She rushed forward when a shield crashed into her. Lux dove forward and caught the yordle. Poppy grunted in pain and saw at the lip of the hole in the ceiling was a line of shieldbearers. They formed up, their shield making an impenetrable wall.

A torrent of wind came rushing up from the floor below. Several soldiers came flying through, their limbs flailing about at the sudden flight. The attacks on Poppy and Lux stopped, the soldiers turned to see what caused the sudden attack from behind. Janna followed through the hole, her staff raised up ready to unleash another gust of wind. Seeing Lux and Poppy surrounded, Janna moved forward, letting out a quick monsoon. The soldiers couldn't keep their footing and were pushed back. Some fell back through the hole, while others crashed against the wall. The only ones left standing were, of course, the shieldbearers. They didn't stick around long enough to trade attacks, instead they followed after their master. They jumped up, landing among their ranks.

One didn't quite make it though. As they leapt over the hole they found themselves coming up short. As if they had shrunk suddenly and didn't have the height to make it. The soldier turned furry creature landed awkwardly, they looked at their new form with surprise. Lulu came up through the hole and met her eyes with the squirrel. She smiled and let pix blast them with a glitter lance. The squirrel tumbled and in a pile of glitter and sparkles. They fell in a heap against the wall, transformed back into a soldier.

Lux smiled as she saw Janna and Lulu. Then looked back up to see Azir watching them from the floor above. "Girls, form up. It's going to be an uphill battle."

"Practically vertical." Lulu said staring up through the various holes Poppy made.

* * *

Jinx ran down the hall, she had Ekko's legs tucked underneath each of her arms while Ezreal had his arms. Jayce had Veigar by the hoodie, the poor yordle shook like an abused keychain, and Ahri brought up the rear refusing to look back. Vi came charging through. Her metal gauntlet smashed a doorway unlucky enough to be in her way. They reached the end of the hallway, it split off in two separate directions. Each way led to more empty classrooms.

"LEFT!" Jinx yelled at the same time Jayce yelled "RIGHT!"

Jinx and Ezreal ran left, taking Ekko with them. As Jayce ran right, Veigar flailing about as he watched the others head head in the opposite direction. Ahri slowed and looked back and forth, her legs shaking. She ran right a moment later joining Jayce and Veigar, her hopes being that if Vi was still awake somewhere in that frightening mess, she'd still be mad enough at Jinx to chase after her and forget about them. When they saw Vi run left, Ahri and Jayce sighed in relief and skidded to a halt. Together they heaved raggedly, trying to catch their breaths. Veigar wasn't as relieved. "We can't just leave them." He said, eyes still on their retreating backs.

"They can handle her." Ahri said, fanning herself with her hands. She did not do well with sweating. She was visibly upset to see that her uniform was staining at the arms. "We need to focus on getting out ourselves."

Veigar looked upset. He looked to Jayce judging the much larger boy, "Ezreal is your best friend. You can't leave him."

Jayce rubbed the back of his head, he groaned. "Ugh you're so right, and I hate that." He pointed to Ahri. "Get to the shed Jinx told us about." He hefted Veigar up tighter under his arm. "We're going to save the others."

Ahri nodded. "Escape while everyone else fights off the possessed monster, got it, I like this plan." Without waiting Ahri ran off on her own. Jayce and Veigar watched in amazement that she'd left them so quickly.

Jinx and Ezreal looked back and saw Vi gaining on them. "Shit shit shit." She said. They saw her load up a punch, gears whirld into life as an unseen engine revved. Jinx turned sharply, making Ezreal stumble a bit, as she kicked open a classroom door. It wasn't even supposed to swing open, and yet desperation made it happen. They crossed over into the class just as Vi came rocketing pass them fist first. The girl slid down the hall, the tiled floor being ripped up in her wake as she forced herself to a halt. She turned around as saw how them close the door. Slowly she walked toward the class, she cracked her knuckles beneath the gauntlets. It was a long time coming, but that little twerp is going to get what she deserves for how she treated Caitlyn. Vi almost chuckled, if a small bit of her knew she'd didn't want to do any of this.

Ezreal slung Ekko onto his shoulder. He looked around the classroom frantically. Anything, anything they can use. He ran over to the locker at the back, and pulled the door open. A broom, a mop, and dustpan fell out. "Good enough!" Ezreal, shoved Ekko inside and took the broom as a weapon. He gave one last look at Ekko, "You'll be safe in here. Stay quiet and don't move until I say so."

Jinx pushed some desks in the way of the door, grabbing any piece of furniture that can be thrown into a pile. Shiro and Kuro watched over her every move. They shook their heads. She eyed them angrily. Whatever they were going to say, she was just going to ignore it. This was stupid, they were stupid, this whole dumb situation was stupid. The First Star made a mistake, and she wasn't going listen to them ramble on, saying that a big dumb light in the sky doesn't make mistakes. Destiny blah blah Fate, forget it. What she had to do now is just figure out how to escape with Ekko and Lux's stupid boyfriend and then get the REAL Guardians to fix Vi… Jinx growled and threw another chair onto the blockade she was building. Stupid VI, why did she have to be… ugh this was her own fault for dragging Vi into this mess. First Ekko and then Vi. Jinx looked at the chair in her hands and she threw it. She felt tears in the corner of her eyes and she rubbed them away with her forearm.

"You aren't a mistake" - "You know you aren't" - "All you have to do is admit to her-"

Ezreal came up to her side, broom in hand. He held out a the mop for Jinx to take and paused. "Uh, you alright?"

Jinx fixed him with the most deadpan look.

"Right, dumb question." Ezreal jabbed a thumb back at the locker. "I hid Ekko inside. Maybe we can lead Vi away, and come back for him once the coast it clear."

Jinx snatched the mop out of his hands and laughed humorously. "Really gonna clean her clock with this huh?"

"Haha sarcasm ha. It's the best thing we got."

The door was ripped from its frame scaring the two into silence. Vi looked down and saw the pitiful pile of chairs and desk blocking her way. She smirked and cocked back a heavy fist. The gauntlets buzzed with power. That unseen engine roared and steam came bustling out from between the armored plating. Ezreal and Jinx took several steps back. Then scrambled for cover as Vi punched the blockade center mass. Desk, chairs, and various school supplies were scattered across the room. They came crashing down in a twisted metal heap, wood fragments floated through the air and bits of metal imbedded themselves in the wall. Ezreal fell to the floor, hands wrapped around his head. He felt some desks land near him and cried in pain as one fell atop of him. It pinned his leg in place. He tried to twist around to see where Vi was but his leg hurt too much for him to move. _Why is it always the leg!_ He was stuck staring at the wall, and the locker he hid Ekko in.

Jinx was taking cover behind the teacher's podium, it took the brunt of the excessive force Vi used to get passed the blockade. When she opened her eyes she saw the sharp tip of a metal leg inches from her face. She turned and saw that the twisted metal had punched through the podium and almost brained her. That was too close. She leaned forward and peaked around to see where Vi went. She didn't see anything besides Ezreal lying still underneath a scrap pile. _Wh-where did she-_ The podium was torn from its spot and crashed against the blackboard. It shatter to pieces from the impact, and Jinx had to shield herself from the splinters. She crawled backwards as the looming figure of Vi stepped over her. She looked Shiro and Kuro. They both had scared worried looks plastered on their furry faces. Even thought she knew they were just spirits and not physical at all, she reached for them regardless, desperate for help. Vi grabbed her arm and hosted her up. Jinx winced at her grip. She could feel her pulse struggle against Vi's hand. A bruise was already forming. Jinx was no quitter though, she reared back a boot and kicked as hard as she could, it hit Vi square in the chest but did nothing to deter her.

"So that's how you treat your 'little sis' huh, beat her up just cause you didn't like her pranks?" Jinx kicked again. "Good, cause that proves it! You never liked me, you only tolerated me." Another kick.

Shiro and Kuro flew in closer, feeling a power coming over them.

"You don't think that's unfair though? You get to move out of the shitty slums! You get a girlfriend who's soooo much cooler than us. You get to forget all your friends, and leave US behind!" She kicked again, unaware that her eyes were tearing up again. "You and- and the others thought that's that! Go our separate ways! Well not ME! I don't ditch! I don't EVER ditch my friends because- You can't get rid of me cause." There was a light growing in her core. Stronger than before, Shiro and Kuro was beside Jinx now sharing in the warmth. "I'm- I'm loyal to my friends… no matter what." Her voice cracked, the fire in her voice calming into resolution. "Thick or thin. I'm going to be there. Even if I don't show it that well… I- I just didn't want to lose you… You're my friend too, ya know…"

Light erupted from Jinx and filled the room. Vi lost her grip and she fell backwards. The light retreated and coalesced around Jinx's body. Her signature blue braids became undone, and took on a bright fiery red hue. Each pigtail was fastened by a white clip that looked like a cat ear. Her school uniform changed, it was now a sleeveless black crop top with a matching white blouse fastened at the neck with a red and gold star and ribbon and flowed down to the length of her upper body. Her skirt was changed to black short shorts. Long black gloves ran up each arm and had a gold star accent on the hands. Matching long thigh high socks covered her legs, and where paired with white winged shoes. Shiro and Kuro also changed, no longer semi translucent, and now fully part of this world. Jinx reached up and took Shiro by the scruff, she whipped him forward and he took on the appearance of a winged gun. It hummed with magical energy. The sudden weight of Shiro in her hands pulled Jinx back to reality. She looked down at herself and let out a whoop. "Haha yes! Finally!"

"Loyalty." Kuro said. "You are loyal to your friends, no matter what. Even if you don't like to fully admit it to yourself you care so much for them."

Jinx looked down at Vi, who was shaking off the effects of the light. She was still transformed and still in need of help. She slammed her hands down cracking the floor beneath her as she stood. Flecks of the floor fell from her knuckles as she shook them, getting ready for round two. Jinx smiled softly, knowing now why the First Star chose her, "Don't worry Fat Hands. I'll save you."

Ezreal kept himself quiet, trying to subtly slip his leg free. _First Lux and now Jinx!?_

…

Malzahar felt the shift of power beneath his feet. For a moment the portal wavered. Vel'Koz looked to Malzahar with a critical eye. Malzahar shook the feeling as quickly as possible. He still had someone under his thrall. He just had to pray that whoever they were would take care of the guardian that just awoken.

"What is it Malzahar."

"Nothing, sudden surge of magic from the leylines threw me off. That is all."

* * *

Lux looked up at Azir. He and his soldiers were on the opposite end of the hole. They needed to thin his ranks of soldiers before they could even hope for a shot against him. Poppy leapt forward and crashed into the center of the shield wall. Her hammer sent a shockwave of power as the shieldbearers took the brunt of her attack. Together they pushed her off and she fell back to rejoin the other Guardians. She was breathing hard, and Lux couldn't blame her. Out of all of them she had done the most fighting. If they can possibly slip away, even just for a second, Janna would be able to heal them of their wounds. Except… that won't work. Healing could only do so much, even if their wounds close and their bruises fade, they would still be exhausted and drained from fighting.

"I don't see much of an opening." Janna said. She looked back outside, "Maybe if I can get outside I can manage a surprise attack."

"Out of the question. We can't risk getting in line of sight of that sun disc." Lux said. "It'll obliterate anything unlucky enough to get in its way."

"Why don't we just shove beakface in it then." Poppy chuckled at the thought.

There was a pause.

"I mean… why not?" Lulu looked around to the older guardians.

Lux looked down to Poppy and to Janna, they both shrugged. Lux smirked. "It's the best idea we got. We'll need to lure him outside somehow."

Janna waved them in closer. "I have and idea girls."

…

Four floors below and right across the street, Sivir was backing away from a group of soldiers. Though they didn't have their spears leveled toward her, it did little to make them less intimidating. She laughed uncomfortably, trying to think of anything to say, anything to get her out of this weird situation. Maybe she should have just taken up that offer from Cassiopeia, despite what she knew of the girl. It would be better than being accosted by random ancient looking soldiers, she was sure she saw working for her dad at some point. Sivir turned to run back where she came but saw that more soldiers had come up behind her. And not only that but also that Cassiopeia had totally snuck off! That girl ran as soon as she saw trouble, she was nowhere to be seen. Sivir cursed at herself for even playing with the thought of spending time with her, she should had known those rumors were true.

She yelped when a hand fell onto her shoulder. The grip was strong and she could slip out of it. "Please come with us." It wasn't a request, that much Sivir knew. She was going with these guys whether or not she wanted to or not. Still, didn't mean she can't try and fight it. Quickly she reared her bag back and swung it at the closest soldier. Those self defense lessons her dad took her to are finally going to pay off. Just got to remember what her teacher told her, always for for the eyes, throat and groin.

…

Janna jumped up, unleashing a raging monsoon around her. The wind buffeted the soldiers, any of who weren't already firmly planted were swept away in the magical storm. Azir braced himself behind a pair of shieldbearers, they stood firm among the rest of the minions. He aimed his scepter at her and shot a bolt of magic toward her. Before it could reach her it was consumed by the wind protectively swirling around her. With the space Janna created the others followed through. Poppy and Lulu took up the right side as Lux covered the left. Like they planned, Janna stayed in the center, using her magic to keep the whirlwind going, preventing any soldier from getting enough traction to counter attack. Her windshield and Pix combined will be enough protections to keep her safe. They hoped.

With the lesser minions held at bay, that left Lux and Poppy to press the attack. Lux unleashed more spells than she had before. Covering the area with globes of light, ready to burst if any got too close. Poppy inched forward, one giant swing after another. The hammer rang against their shields as they held their place. The shieldbearers grit their teeth trying desperately to hold their position against the wind and the hammer. Poppy too pushed through the pain, her hands were throbbing and were going numb. Still, she had to keep going. Whenever they gave ground, Lux laid more singularities before them.

Azir saw through their plan. The were forcing him to the windows. Pushing them inch by inch. He refused to be herded like cattle, being treated as such was degrading to a person of his position and power. He pushed the borrowed magic in him to its limit and forced his soldiers to act to his will. "March my soldiers, push against their attack!"

A wave of energy rushed through the shieldbearers' veins. Overcomed with magic, they rushed forward uncaring of the counter measures laid by Lux. The light globes burst beneath their feet as they pushed forward. Poppy braced her hammer against the golden shields, her feet dug into the floor. She pushed against them, but like a glacier they marched unencumbered. With one last shove they pushed Poppy back over the edge, she had to jump over the hole or else she'd fall back down a floor.

She landed in a huff, looking at all the progress they had lost. She circled back round to the right. Across the hole Lux looked at Poppy, hoping the little yordle still had enough in her to keep fighting. Poppy had a great deal of determination to her, but even she had limits.

Azir raised a hand and in a grand gesture called for more soldiers to come to his side. From behind the guardians, the doors to this section of the office flung open. Spears came bursting through and fought against Janna's magical wind. Janna saw them and pumped more magic forth. She redirected the flow to focus on the new soldiers. The front row kept their spears trained on the wind mage, while the second row braced themselves against the first, keeping them moving forward. They stabbed at Janna, the spears pierced through her first protective shield, coming close before Lulu's shield stopped them. Pix flew around Janna, enforcing whatever weak points cropped up. Lulu focused on the new soldiers. Her staff glowed with power, sparks of glittery magic drifted down from the top.

"Ugh, is there no end to these guys?" Poppy said, she raised her hammer up.

"Lulu, keep covering Janna. Poppy with me, we'll try again!" Lux ordered. She could tell that even though the soldiers ignored her attack they were still effective. The shieldbearers' legs shook, only the will of their master held them up against them.

Poppy growled, but did as she was told. She turned and took a loaded swing at the closest shieldbearer. They dropped to their knee. Poppy looked surprised. For about half a second before a wicked smile took over. She shared a look with Lux, and the blonde gave a nod. Lux unleashed binding spell after binding spell. They struck against their shield, most bounced off though the impact of them made the guards buckle under the pressure. Their attention was split between the mage and the knight's alternating strikes. They had to keep angling themselves to protect their master from one, leaving themselves open to the other. Poppy took the moment to crash her hammer against them, she didn't have many tricks up her sleeve, but the one she did know, she knew very well. One fell to the ground, no longer able to take any more abuse. Another felt their shield get ripped from their hand, she decided that if she was going down next she'd might as well go down swinging. Poppy thought that was commendable and decided to toss her back down the hole instead of strike her down with her hammer.

Azir slammed his scepter down against the floor. "Arise you insolent little-" He grit his teeth, and forced a shieldbearer back onto their feet with only his will. He felt another soldier go down to his side. "If I must handle this myself, so be it!" He pushed a soldier aside and Poppy squared off against them. Lux sent a spell flying to him and he ducked it. He rushed to her, that surprising amount of speed coming into play again, a magical shield came around him as he crashed into Lux. Scepter met baton, and magical sparks lept between them. "I am the master of this place! No mere girl shall usurp my power here!"

Lux felt her knee buckle, that cut across her calf stung too much and she had to back off. She broke apart, and knew she made a mistake as soon as she leapt back. A spear cut into her side and Lux fell to the ground. Magic from Pix come to her aid, and protect her from the follow up attack of the other soldiers. Sadly that left Janna open. Both girls cried in pain when sets of spears came down on them. Janna's torrent of magic died down as she floated back down to the floor below. Her magic drained from the extended monsoon. Lux rolled to the side, she was in no shape to get back up. She held her side to stop the blood.

Azir stood above her. "You need to learn your place girl. If you'd had accepted my offer I wouldn't have to sully my hands." He raised his scepter up, tipping the head down to stab Lux.

Pix flew up to his face making him stumble back in surprise. Pix took in a gulp of air, and spat out a lance of glitter magic. It ran through Azir once, and a second time as he felt a second lance from Lulu hit him. "Back off creep!" Lulu yelled. Azir wiped his armor of the lingering glitter, pesky stuff was annoying and almost impossible to get rid of. He lowered his scepter at Lulu and the soldiers all charged after the little yordle. No longer encumbered by Janna's wind, they moved forward with ease. Lulu yelped and let her staff speed her off. Spears from all around her crashed into the spot she just vacated. Lulu zig-zagged avoiding the chasing soldiers, every now and then shooting a lance of magic to deter them away.

Lux fought her way back onto her feet. She raised a barrier up and felt Azir's scepter crack against it. It held, if barely.

"Pathetic." Azir raised his scepter again, and then turned sharply. Poppy's shield fell to the floor deflected aside by Azir's quick reflexes. He had learned from his previous mistake. He had not let his guard down for a second time.

"I'm still standing. Pick on someone your own size." Poppy was heaving heavily. Blood was caked across her forehead and colored her mouth. Even so, Poppy's grip on her hammer was strong. Through gritted teeth, Poppy smirked at Azir.

Azir raised an eyebrow at her. "My own size?" He gestured to Poppy's yordle-ness and laughed.

"Figuratively!" Poppy spun her hammer around her palm. Light burst out from the head as the hammer spun, becoming a blur as it picked up more and more speed. The light in the head condensed and condensed until it was a bright blue ball of light. She rushed Azir with it.

Not wanting to find out what that would do, Azir sped away, calling for a soldier to come to his aid. He shifted like sand through Poppy's hands, until he hit a solid wall of light. It emanated from the little yordle. An aura surrounded the little yordle, a message to the wannabe emperor that he would no longer escape. He called for a shieldbearer to come, reaching out with a gold armored hand. The soldier came and planted themselves between Poppy and Azir.

Poppy slammed her hammer down to the ground, a shockwave of blue light shot toward Azir. He braced himself for the attack, he had not expected the attack to not break through his shield but slid underneath it. A column of light erupted beneath his feet. The light was hot and intense that it burned through his defenses, and it was so densely packed that it hit him like a wrecking ball. The attack sent him flying back, he crashed through the window along with the lone shieldbearer. They tumbled barely conscious of what was happening around them. All they knew was that they were outside.

Lux pat Poppy on the shoulder. She could feel how much that took out of Poppy just by how the yordle sagged in her armor. "Not exactly what we had planned but good job." Their brief moment of happiness was broken when Lulu raced past them followed by a contingent of soldiers. They stopped once they noticed their master was no longer in the room and turned to the two girls.

"Jump?" Poppy asked

Lux nodded. "Out the window, girls!"

Lux and Poppy sped to the open window, and was soon followed by Lulu and Janna.

* * *

Jinx rushed out of the room, leading Vi along. She had to keep the boys safe and that meant getting Vi away from them. She laughed, "C'mon Fat Hands you can run faster than that." She blew a raspberry and rounded a corner as soon as Vi charged forward. Vi's metal gauntlet slammed into the wall, burying itself up to the elbow. Jinx whistled, quite impressed by her strength. Jinx lowered Shiro and the fuzzy spirit turned white minigun and let out a hail of light bullets. They rain down on Vi, speckling small flashes and sparks here and there as the girl struggled to free herself. Vi pulled an arm free and used it as an impromptu shield. Light sparked off the metal plating as Vi ran forward, uncaring that she couldn't see past her arms. Jinx let Shiro go, freeing herself up to leapfrog over Vi, Jinx's hands slapping the top of the pink haired girl's head. The big girl stumbled and crashed to the floor. She slammed her fist down in frustration, cracking it.

"Tsk tsk, Fat Hands, who's gonna pay for all this damage? I sure as hell ain't."

Vi straightened herself out. She pointed a finger at Jinx, and a targeting beam shot out and locked onto Jinx.

The girl looked down at her chest and saw the menacing little red dot. "Whuh-oh." Jinx turn and ran as quickly as possible. She took a few leaping steps, praying that she'd fly like how she saw the others girls did. No luck.

Vi was propelled forward. Her gauntlets roared like a pair of jet turbines. She moved forward closing the gap on Jinx with surprising speed. Ready to batter the girl into a pulp. Jinx turned and shot her hand pistol at Vi, the burst of electric blue magic did nothing to deter the girl. Jinx brought Shiro to her side and used the spirit as a makeshift shield. Vi let loose one hell of a haymaker, the metal gauntlet met Shiro head on. The poor little creature disliked being used as a shield but will do anything to protect Jinx. The force of the blow sent Jinx into the ceiling. She bounced off and barely had a second to get reorientated before Vi rocked a fist into her again, slamming her down to the floor.

Jinx gasped as all the air in her lungs left her body. She groaned, _Okay, little miss perfect said nothing about it hurting this much_. Jinx spat out a tooth. A freakin tooth! Ooooo Lux will be getting an ear full about this as soon as she gets out of this mess. Jinx pushed herself back onto her feet and dropped a trio of grenades, that surprisingly looked like Shiro and Kuro mashed together, at her feet. She ran down the hall, and before Vi could pursue, the grenades latched onto her. She couldn't pull them off quick enough and they exploded into a trio of mini mushroom clouds.

Kuro flew alongside Vi, "She's a toughy"

"All bluster, she's actually a total softy on the inside. She cried for days when she was told she couldn't keep a stray dog as a pet." Jinx looked back at Vi, the big girl stumbled but kept moving forward. "Maybe I'm going about this wrong…"

Vi ran, she swung a fist wide and Jinx ducked it.

"Fat-, er, Vi, can you hear me?" Jinx watched Vi's face carefully. She bobbed and weaved enough to stay just out of reach from the metal hands. "I know you can hear me. You don't want to do this." Vi's punches slowed. Ha, maybe she can get through to her. No, wait, shit, that was a feint. Dammit. Vi's fist slammed into Jinx and the girl flew down the hall.

…

Ezreal pulled at his leg, so close to getting free. The fighting was far enough that he could only hear when Vi accidentally punched the wall. He was just about to get free when he heard movement down the wall. He froze and flopped back down and played dead. A second later he heard Jayce and Veigar yelling, and something swishing through the air. He looked up to see each had their own mop and broom in their hands. They were as intimidating as much as they looked silly.

"GUYS!" Ezreal smiled. "Get me out of here. I'm stuck."

Jayce rushed over to his best friend's side. He heaved a few desks off the pile and the weight shifted enough for Ezreal to free himself. He rubbed his badly abused leg, first Jinx's grenade and then the desks, he really needed to get a break from all this magic mumbo jumbo, his poor leg could only take so much.

Veigar looked around expectedly, "Um, where's Vi?"

Ezreal got to his feet with Jayce's help. "Jinx," If he decided to keep Lux's secret he was going to keep Jinx's, "She shoved Ekko into my arms and used herself as a distraction. Ekko's in that locker over there." He nodded his head, and as if that was the signal, Ekko opened the locker and walked out, dust pan in hand like a deadly weapon. Ezreal rolled his eyes but said nothing as he came up to Ekko's side and slung the boy onto his shoulder. "Jinx bought us time, we should use it."

Jayce rubbed his head. "Uh, sorry bud, but that's not gonna happen. When we told Ahri, we wanted to go back to save you guys, she ran off ahead. She got out through the shed, but not without getting all the spider creatures attention. They have that and the school gates heavily guarded now." Jayce shrugged. "We're trapped."

Ezreal frowned… now what were they going to do? He rubbed his temples. "Okay so second best option is to find a classroom or a club room, and hold up in there until the guardians show up." He looked to the other two boys, they both nodded agreeing with the backup plan.

"The rooftop, maybe we can signal for help while we're up there." Veigar said

"No way. If this Malzahar guy is here then that's the most likely place for him to be." Jayce said like it was the most obvious thing. When Veigar gave him a confused look he explained. "In every anime and manga I read, if a bad guy needs to do some kind of ritual spell or something at a school, he goes to the rooftop."

"Don't be stupid." Ezreal said, "This isn't a badly written fanfic, this is real life." He hefted Ekko up, adjusting his grip to be more comfortable, wrapping his arm around the slim boy's waist. "We'll go to the roof. If anyone knows we're trapped here they'll be able to come to our rescue easier." Ezreal started off out of the hallway, he looked about for any spider creatures roaming the halls, and went straight to the closest stairway. Veigar followed suit, staying close to Ezreal, mop at the ready.

Jayce looked up and down the hall. He shook his head. "I want to go on record that this was your idea, and I get one 'I told you so' if this backfires."

…

Jinx ran up the stairs. Vi was making one hell of a mess. She was afraid that if it continued that wing of the school will collapse into rubble before she could even hope of returning Vi back to normal. Jinx called back down to Vi who was rushing up the stairs after her. "That's right follow my voice." Jinx looked up the flight of stairs. The school was more wide than tall. Six stories total, seven depending which part of the school they were in.

Shiro and Kuro floated nearby, watching over Jinx shoulders. "I'm running out of ideas guys. I tried beating her, I tried talking to her. I tried, well just those two things, but neither worked."

"You are reaching her somewhat." - "Maybe try a different approach?" - "What else does she hold dear?"

Jinx snapped her fingers, an epiphany hitting her brain. "Hey Vi!" Vi growled a response. "What'd your precious Cupcake think if she saw you tearing up the school?"

There was a pause in the steps, and a growled whined.

"She'd be incredible upset with you, you know."

More growling that turned into full blown whining.

Jinx looked to her spirit companions. They didn't have thumbs on their paws, but they somehow gave her the double thumbs up anyways. That brief time looking away let Vi close the distance. A large metal hand grabbed the railing and pulled her up into Jinx's view. Vi was mixture of pissed off and guilty worry. She swung a half hearted punch at Jinx and it cracked the wall as Jinx side stepped the wide blow. Jinx tsk'd at her. "Vi, for shame. Caity is gonna have a word with you."

Vi's lip quivered. Her hand scooped up the broken plaster and pressed it up against the wall to no avail. Jinx glanced at Shiro and Kuro, she whispered to them behind her hand. "Man is she whipped." She looked down and a phone hanging on Vi's hip. A glint in her eye sparkled. She needed to get a hold of her phone. Call Lux and tell her about Malzahar being here and not at Shurima.

The plaster wasn't staying where she wanted it. Vi groaned and dropped the crumbling plaster. She swung another half hearted punch at Jinx, switching the blame onto her instead.

"Hey hey, settle down…" Jinx looked behind her, making sure not to corner herself. She stepped to the side so she wouldn't accidentally walk into the wall. She raised her hands to Vi, "Let's give her a call, yeah? Just hand me my phone~."

Vi growled and jabbed at Jinx, she followed quickly with a quick left cross. Jinx back peddled. Cursing at herself. VI was regaining her steam, somehow pinning all the misfortune on Jinx, she needed to act fast. Jinx bounced on the balls of her feet, shaking her hands to loosen them up. Vi got into her classic boxer's guard, squaring up against the lightweight. Happy now that the little squirt wasn't running away. She jabbed again, testing out her reach. Jinx swayed to the side and made a grab of the phone. Vi circled opposite of Jinx, keeping the phone just out of reach. As Jinx stumbled she left herself open for punishment. Vi swung two quick blows with her right, tapping Jinx hard and followed up with a straight left. Jinx reeled quickly out of the girls reach, the blow glancing against her chin. She smirked, happy she dodge the heavy attack in time. Jinx took a step back and saw the world spin in her view. _What the?_

Vi smirked and tapped her own chin. She got her right on the button. Even the lightest of taps can shake the head enough to cause damage.

While Jinx was aware of her surroundings, her equilibrium was shot. The whole room wobbled in her peripheral vision. Her legs didn't quite listen to her either, they shook like jelly and she couldn't hold her own weight. She fell backwards onto her ass and she had to struggle to look at Vi. She need to shake this and quickly.

Vi took one step to Jinx and was accosted by two little furry creatures. They swarmed around her. She swatted at them uselessly. Jinx slapped her face with her hands, shocking her sense back to the here and now. Her legs stilled wobbled as she rose to her feet. She fumbled with her light pistol and aimed it as Vi. Shiro and Kuro flew out of the way as Vi turned and saw Jinx fire. Vi brought her gauntlets together and felt the surge of electric blue magic course through her. Pushing through, Vi shuffled forward, she weaved left and brought her left hand down low for a uppercut. Except that it was slower now. Even though Vi endured the hit, the effects were still there. Jinx took the opening, and went for her phone again. The uppercut was slower, no doubt, Jinx wrapped her hands around her phone, when the blow still struck. It clipped her shoulder, the metal of the gauntlet cut deep into her arm. Jinx rolled with the hit, allowing it to carry her away from Vi. She landed on the ground hard, the distance gave her an opportunity to lay a trio of grenades at Vi's feet. They blew as Vi tried to follow after Jinx. The smoke of the mini mushroom clouds was just enough cover for Jinx to slip out of sight and into a nearby classroom.

"Quick quick." Jinx told herself. Her eyes were locked on the door's tiny window, watching for Vi to show herself. Jinx hit the most recent contact, and waited for the phone to connect. When she heard someone answer Jinx yelled into the receiver. "Lux!"

"Wh- Jinx? Why are you calling on Vi's phone?"

Jinx looked down as soon as she heard Caitlyn's voice on the other end. "Agh shit!"

"Jinx why do you have Vi's phone? If this is some kind of joke, it's not funny." Caitlyn's voice was getting cold.

Jinx was tempted to egg her on. Vi coming through the door threw any idea like that out the window. "Listen Cait this is not a joke, Vi is- uh." Jinx hit her with another burst from her light pistol, slowing her enough for Jinx to create more room. "She's kind of in a spot... you know how she gets."

"Jinx-"

"Wasn't my fault, just so you know."

"You set off load of fireworks equivalent to three sticks of dynamite at our school, and then hit the fire alarm. I'm more than cross at you right now. This better be good."

"Would you just listen to me?" Jinx yelled at Caitlyn. She hit the facecam feature on the phone. A second later Caitlyn accepted and the camera turned on. The first thing Caitlyn saw was that Jinx had red hair and a new outfit. Before Jinx let her process that little secret, she turned the camera to point at Vi.

"VI!" Caitlyn called over the phone.

Vi's eyes softened seeing her girlfriend. Then she growled at Jinx, she struck up hands and swung a combination at Jinx. Thankfully she was still slowed by the magic working its way through her system. Jinx moved back away, feeling the rush of air as each punch whizzed passed her.

"Jinx what did you do?" Caitlyn's tone was accusatory and bordering on angery.

"It was Malzahar. Uh the purple robe guy the guardians fight. You know the one." Jinx grabbed Kuro and whipped him forward. He snapped into a elongated shape of a bazooka. She shot at Vi's feet to slow her down further. The burst of magical energy causing an explosion of light and Vi stumbled back.

"Stop, stop, don't hurt her!" Caitlyn cried out. Jinx lowered Kuro. Vi waved away the smoke from the bursts of magic. "Vi are you alright? Jinx if you do anything-"

"I wouldn't!"

Caitlyn scoffed, ignoring Jinx's protests.

"I swear Caitlyn. I wouldn't ever legitimately hurt her on purpose." Jinx turned the phone around so they could see eye to eye. "She's like an older sister to me."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. Jinx's track record spoke more than the promises Jinx is making now. "Vi thought-"

"-of me as a little sister and I threw it in her face." Jinx finished for her. "I know I screwed up. I didn't know any better, at least I'm trying now! Honest." Jinx smiled as genuinely as she could. Too bad the moment was ruined when Vi closed a hand around Jinx's chest.

Vi raised her up and slammed her hard against the wall. Jinx gasp as her breath escaped her lungs. She sucked in a breath to reclaim the air she lost, it only caused her more pain as she felt her ragged throat thrum. Vi lifted a hand up. The gauntlet revved to life, steam billowed out from the gaps of the metal plating.

Jinx struggled out of her grip. Jinx reached for either Shiro or Kuro, but she couldn't angle either correctly to get a shot off. On Caitlyn's phone she could only see Jinx's face superimposed across the screen as Vi's charged a fist. "Caitlyn I'm sorry," If she was going out she'd at least get this off her chest. "Look I was really just jealous of you cause you took Vi away from me, not romantically but just, ah you get it… I- ugh, I was a 'punk twerp' to you because of that. You never really kinda sorta didn't deserve any of that. I'm sorry, really really sorry."

Jinx closed her eyes tight, and waited for Vi to send her into the next life. When nothing came she cracked open an eye to see Vi was looking at the phone in her hands. Waiting for something. Jinx angled it so she can look at it. Caitlyn too had her eyes tightly shut, when she opened her eyes she noticed Vi staring at her. Vi looked to Jinx and then back to Caitlyn expectantly.

Caitlyn looked surprised. She sighed in relief that the worst hadn't happened. "Vi please let Jinx go." Vi did as she was told and dropped Jinx. Much to the surprise of both girls. The smaller girl fell onto her side, only barely keeping the phone up for Vi to see. "Vi you can stop now. I'm not angry with Jinx anymore. I accept her apology. I don't want you to hurt her or yourself for that matter." Vi smiled and a burst of light enveloped her, expelling the void's influence on her. Once the light faded Vi was standing back to normal. Her legs were woozy and she collapsed atop of Jinx.

Jinx groaned at the sudden weight, jeez Vi what do you eat? Pure protein? She turned the phone back to herself. "Phew thanks-"

"I want a full explanation. NOW."

Jinx gulped. She'd rather she fought off Vi instead. Jinx rubbed her head, wishing today would just be over already. "Would it'd be fine if I just say the power of love was the answer all along and that talking and clear communication is invaluable to a relationship?" When Caitlyn crossed her arms fixing her with an awaiting look, Jinx sighed. "Okay it all started when-" Jinx hit the end call button, "Whoops."

Fighting her way back onto her feet, Jinx looked down at Vi. At least she was okay now. Now to make sure the other idiot she likes is still inside that locker Ezreal threw him in. Oh and she guessed check on blonde boy while she was at it. He couldn't have gotten into much trouble stuck in that classroom.

…

Ezreal looked back to Jayce who had Ekko slung over his shoulder, sometimes it was nice to have a friend bigger than you to take over carrying duties. Veigar was just behind them carefully watching their rear. So far so good. They hadn't run into anymore of those spider creatures, whatever they're doing must have them prioritize guarding the outside rather than hunting the inside. And they went the long way around to avoid Vi, easy enough when she sounded like a wrecking crew everywhere she went.

"Okay we're almost there." Ezreal said.

He pushed the door open and instantly regretted his decision. Sickly purple light bled into the little stairwell they were in. Malzahar and the portal he was channeling open was in full view from them. The prophet turned and didn't look amused at the interruption.

"Jayce don't-"

"I told you so!" Jayce yelled mid back pedal. "I so told you so." He was turning away and making a mad dash down the stairs, quickly followed by Veigar. They made it two full steps when a force pulled all four of them back. They fell onto the hard concrete of the roof and watched helplessly as the door back down to safety shut in front of their faces.

Malzahar looked down at the boys. He hovered over them, magic still arcing between him and the portal. Veigar coward at his stare, "We meet again." Malzahar said. The black furred yordled gulped at his words. "Luckily I've got more important things to worry about at the moment. So we'll have to keep this reunion short" A few voidlings leapt through the portal, they came up to the boys and they all scooted back away in fear. "No theatrics this time." Malzahar reared a hand back and then thrust it forward. He forced his magic into Jayce being, grabing a tight hold around the boys inner being. WIth a quick jerking motion he ripped his soul out. The big guy let out a loud painful scream that got cut short as green essence flowed out of his mouth. The soul floated into Malzahar's hand, and coalesce into a bright blue gem. It pulsed like a heart to the magically observant.

"Jayce!" Ezreal came to his friend's side, catching him before he collapsed onto the hard concrete floor. Jayce groaned and his eyes looked dull just like Ekko's. Ezreal lowered him and Ekko gently to the floor. He looked to Malzahar and the prophet made another gesture. Veigar yelled this time and felt his own soul get ripped out from his body. The little yordle collapsed a moment later. Ezreal could do nothing but watch in horror, "V-veigar…"

Malzahar tossed the two soul stones to the voidlings who brought it over to Mejai's tome. The ever hungry book took in the new souls and a great surge of magic empowered the portal. Increasing its size. The wicked prophet smirked at Ezreal's distress.

Ezreal opened his mouth to say something.

"Spare me the heroic monologue." Malzahar raised his hand, silencing Ezreal. "Nothing you say is anything I want to hear." His hand curled and Ezreal felt his soul begin to choke himself.

Ezreal resisted, he had to. A small 'chirp' or 'meow' or something echoed through his ears, and his mind flashed back to a distant, distant memory. It was too fuzzy to really recall, all he could see was a bright star filling his entire vision. His soul shot out of his body a second later and Malzahar caught it in his hand. He looked at it confusingly. It was drastically smaller than the others, a mere fraction compared to the others he had collected. Ezreal could feel his mind blacking out and yet still fully there, a strange thought or name ran through his mind before he fell into unconsciousness. _Yuuto…_

Malzahar tossed aside the small soul. It was barely worth the effort to keep, and the power it would provide would be next to useless. He returned to the portal and smiled. It was still growing, and it no longer needed him to stabilize it. The leylines were doing their job and feeding the portal with enough constant magic to keep it going. On the other side he could see the shifting masses of various void creatures shifting eagerly beyond the blackened veil. One in particular lumbered to the front of the mass, its chitinous carapace shook with each step. It pushed forward, ahead of all the others, and its face pushed against the portal. Like a bubble the space between the worlds bulge against the pressure. Malzahar had to take a few steps back to even look upon the creature. It's head breached the threshold. Malzahar felt the power it emanated and he felt weak in its presence. As it got its first breath of fresh air it let out a ear piercing howl that shook the world to its core.

Somewhere a few floors down, Jinx stopped dead in her tracks, Vi leaning heavily on her shoulders. Her ears rang at the sudden sound and she had to cover them with her hands. She buckled under the sound as it punched her right in the chest. Once the screeching stopped Jinx looked about for the source, panting from the extreme pressure that just assaulted her. "That doesn't sound good at all…" She pulled her phone out and began to call Lux.

* * *

It was easy to win a fight when the other side didn't mean to fight let alone hurt the other, and it became all that much easier of a fight if the one doing the majority of the fighting didn't know that fact. Sivir brought her knee up into the groan of yet another soldier, who fell down to their knees. He huffed, exhausted yet running high on adrenaline. Turning around expecting another to come after her, she was surprised when she found none. Time to make her escape.

A loud bang caught her attention, stopping her in her tracks. She looked up to see someone come flying out of the building's fourth floor window. Sivir yelped as the glass fell around her, she ran bag over her head away from the shards. And yelped again as whoever fell from the window landed nearby. The shield the man held broke their fall and he groan in pain. Too beaten to even make an attempt to stand. Sivir was taken back by his survival, when a second crash forced her to turn around. This person landed on their feet taking in the forceful landing in stride. That man stood, using the scepter in their hand to help them stand. Sivir stared at him, his familiar body frame and his jawline nearly hidden by the bird helmet made her jaw drop. "Dad?"

The roar of power made Sivir look up as she saw the four Star Guardians race out of the tower, followed closely by a beam of white hot light. She had barely an idea of what was going on, and she looked to her dad for answers. Azir grunted in pain. He turned to look for the guardians when he noticed his daughter staring at him.

Lux looked back to see the sun beam racing towards them. One by one each broke off. Until it was mainly focusing on Lulu. The little yordle was easily the fastest out of all the guardians. Her maneuverability was something to be desired, but at this moment speed was of the essence. As Lulu flew, Lux and the others saw that even she wasn't fast enough, sooner than later the beam will reach its target and they need to redirect it back to Azir as quickly as possible. As they landed they looked to resume the offensive momentum they had, when it came into a crashing halt. They saw Azir and a girl further down the street.

"Who is that?" Janna asked.

"Doesn't matter, we need to get her away from him." Lux said. Keeping a watchful eye on Lulu, "The sun beam will be rounding back any second now and we need to hit Azir with it."

"Hey, stay away from her buzzardbreath!" Poppy ran forward, hammer raised in her hands, ready to intervene when Azir stood his ground.

He placed himself between Sivir and the charging guardian, he flourished his cape to even block their line of sight to one another. "No, you shall stay away!" He raised his scepter and bolts of magic shot forward. They struck Poppy's shield and she had to break off from her attack.

Azir rounded on Sivir, and she took a step back afraid of what he'd do to her. He reached forward and she flinched away, eyes shutting close. She felt the warm handkerchief on her cheek a moment later. "Are you okay, my precious daughter." Oh...kay that was different. He was normally coldly affectionate, like more of a guard dog than a lap dog.

It got to be too much, Sivir pulled away swatting his hands away. "Stop stop, I'm not ten anymore!"

The Guardians watched in amusement, and a little bit of shock. Poppy shook off the attacks, and looked back to Janna and Lux. "She's his daughter?"

Janna rubbed her chin, "Maybe because of the transformation and his strong will, his personality traits are expressed tenfold instead of being repressed?" She looked to Lux who shrugged.

"Doesn't change the fact, we need to separate the two." Lux looked up to see that Lulu had gone around the building already. There was no way for them to see where she was. "Janna use your magic, force them apart, I'll keep Azir grounded." Lux flew ahead. Spells already leaving her baton. Janna followed right behind, a mini tornado forming up at her feet.

Azir rounded on them, "You dare threaten my daughter?" He placed himself in the way of the spells. Allowing them to strike him. He grunted in pain as each hit burned at the void magic inside him. He gestured to the fallen shieldbearer laying on the street. The soldier tried to get to their feet, but collapsed, far too exhausted and no longer able to fight. He growled in frustration, even then he still stayed beside Sivir, a protective arm shielding her from anything that would come close to her.

On a subconscious level, Janna thought it was sweet, still he was being possessed and sweet or not he had to be stopped. Sent a whirlwind toward the two, angling herself to catch Sivir if she got caught in the wake.

Azir didn't allow it to come close. He wrapped Sivir in his arms and leapt aside, his back crashed into the asphalt.

"You need to get away from him." Lux said to Sivir.

Sivir looked up to her dad. He being way more openly affectionate than he had been in the past. She knew he was being possessed by something, and that was the reason he was acting so strange. She couldn't let him stay this way. It was too much of a danger to do so, even if she kind of liked him like this. In the end she preferred the dad that coddled her by the sidelines than the dad meddled in her life personally. She wriggled out from his grasp, mumbling an apology as she kicked him in the stomach. Azir gasped and let go of his daughter. Once free Sivir ran across the street. Far from both her dad and the Guardians.

Lux took that moment to lock him down with a binding spell. He cursed and tried to break free from his restraints.

Lulu rounded back around the building. Sun beam hot on her heels, almost literally. She could no longer out run it and was heading straight to Azir. "Get clear!" She yelled and dive bombed the birdman. As Lulu got close enough she knew she wouldn't be able to pull off a sharp turn. So she let Pix shield her and she crashed into the ground, letting herself roll with her landing dispersing the force of the impact so it wasn't leg shattering. She skidded across the ground, and felt some of the loose rocks cut into her skin. She protectively covered her head with her arms as she watched the beam crash into Azir.

His silhouette burned from the center of the sun beam, all the girls watching had to shield their eyes from the bright light. Hiding their eyes, the Guardian's and Sivir heard nothing for a long uncomfortable while. Once their eyes readjusted they saw the unconscious body of Omah Azir, no longer transformed and wearing his normal business attire, sitting slumped in the middle of the street.

Sivir rushed over to him immediately. He groan in pain and confusion, he looked around and saw that he was outside and nowhere near his office. The last thing he remembered was that he was going to call a meeting about quarterly reviews when a spider thing bit him. He saw Sivir looked at him and he smiled. "What are you doing here? School isn't over yet." He was cut off as Sivir brought her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

Lulu sighed in relief and forced herself back to her feet. She hit the ground far too roughly and her body ached. She rejoined the others as they looked back to the building. Slowly it returned back to normal, the men and women employed to Azir had also returned back to normal. All confused by what had happened, and only faint lingering memories to recall any of it. "Mission complete, we stopped Malzahar's plan."

Lux shook her head. "Except that Malzahar wasn't even here." She looked to Poppy and she sadly had to agree.

"That's unsettling to hear." Janna said. Her grip on her staff tightened. If Malzahar wasn't here then where could he possibly be? And what was the point of this mass scale attack?

The girls all flinched and covered their ears when a massive and monstrous roar erupted all around them. It was so loud that it shook them to their very core, like the roar had punched them in the chest. Even after it died down, their ears rang from the noise. It was lucky that Lux was able to hear her phone ring within her pocket. She answered and heard Jinx's frantic voice on the other end. The blood ran cold in her veins and drained her face of color. "Malzahar was at school. This whole thing was a diversion… He… he just summoned something massive into our world."

Everyone turned to the direction of the school. It was subtle unless one looked for it, there was a heavy storm forming above the school.

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap! This chapter turned out to be more action than I thought, and so now I got to push the final confrontation to a later chapter. So so so close now to the end. Hope everyone is still liking what I'm putting out.

Anyways, I'll see you all soon, Love you BYE~!


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: League of Legends is owned by Riot Games. I own this keyboard that typed these words.

* * *

The storm was getting worse. Rapidly it progressed from a light trickle to a heavy downpour in a matter of seconds. All around Lux and her fellow Guardians was harsh wind, dark clouds and- Lux dove to the side as a bolt of lighting struck past her, scorching the ground below. Lux ignored how close of a call that was and pushed onward. The buildings of Shurima whizzed past them and quickly gave way to the familiar streets of Central Valoran. As they sped along the streets as fast as they could the rain pelting them got heavier and heavier the further they flew. Many people who had no idea of the real dangers, just up the city, sought out shelter from the rain. Sometimes it was better to know that the worst thing that happened today was an unexpected rainstorm. The Star Guardians had no such luck. They knew that their toughest fight yet was coming up. Ill prepared as they were for this, they hardened their resolve. They must fight. Their world was in danger and they couldn't fail or else it meant the end, for everyone. So many people counted on them and only a few actually knew it. Poppy lagged behind, she wasn't fairing well at all compared to the others. The previous fight took a lot out of her as she pushed right up against her limits. Lulu helped her fellow yordle, wrapping an arm around her friend's waist and hosting her up into the air.

"We have to rest for a second." Lulu called up to Lux.

"We can't." Janna said. She barely spared the yordles a glance. "Malzahar just ripped open a breach to the void. We can't stop. Not for anything."

Lux slowed momentarily to help Poppy. The tough little yordle shrugged both girls off and continued to fly on her own. "Janna's right, we gotta push forward." She said as she kicked off a nearby building to keep up speed with the others. "Besides, I'm all healed up. I'm right as rain."

"Just because the cuts and bruises are gone doesn't mean you don't need the rest…" Lulu said. Worry colored her voice.

"And you expect me to sit out on our biggest fight? Not gonna happen." Poppy pushed forward. Her eyes hardened, and she stared forward with fierce determination.

…

They heard it way before they saw it. As the Star Guardians closed in on their school, the void creature cried out. The inhuman howling screech was even more deafening as they approached the school's main building. The girls covered their ears to muffle the noise as best they could. Even then it still felt like it rattled their skulls from the inside. It practically stopped them in their tracks, the disorientation was strong enough that they risked accidentally running into one another or even falling out of the sky. Lux shook her head, trying to dispel the dizziness overcoming her once the screeching stopped. When she opened her eyes to get her bearings she saw it. The monstrous shadow looming atop the school was, to be completely honest, unimaginably terrifying. It was hard to really get a good look at it. The immense crackling portal behind it ate all the light in the area. Casting everything into an eerie shadow. They were only illuminated by the hazy burning glow of the portal itself. What the Guardians could see was the hulking form was hunched, it was possible that it stood twenty to thirty feet tall, a large shell protected its hunched back in layers of chitin, it had serrated claws that would no doubt crush anything unlucky enough to get caught in it, and it's tiny head was protected with a thick collar, its purple compound eyes darted about taking in its new surroundings. The creature was unnatural to this world. Even the weather was off, accenting it's alien form. The storm seemed to only worsen as they got close to the portal. The breach between worlds screwed with the earth's atmosphere, causing unnaturally strong winds to buffet the area into disarray and magically charged lighting to strike randomly. All of this with the portal at its center. Lux took in a deep breath, willing her racing heart to calm down and failing. They needed a plan, and she had no idea where to even begin.

"What the hell is that thing?" Poppy asked, carefully watching it move. It staggered as it got used to its new surrounding. The shell on its back opened briefly and fluttered. The damned creature had a set of wings. Thick gossamer that looked like panes of frosted glass. If it could fly that meant a whole nother level of screwed.

"It's a Herald." Janna said. "In my previous lives, the ones I can remember at least. When we failed to stop the Void from invading, that thing was always the first to come through, to signal the others that the void has come." Janna looked past the creature, her eyes taking in every detail of the portal. She had seen portals such as this before, a few had even taken her friends from her. She continued to scan the rooftop for the one who opened this hell hole.

"Well, we're not failing this time, we're gonna squash that bug and shove Malzahar through that portal where he belongs." Poppy lifted up her hammer.

"Janna, any idea how to do that?" Lux asked, she motioned for the other to follow her to the other end of the school's rooftop. No point in getting the creatures unwanted attention too soon. They would also need to regroup with Jinx as soon as possible. She wasn't waiting for them here so that meant she was still somewhere in the school below.

"It's completely through, the only thing to do now is to kill it outright and that's almost impossible." Janna said dejectedly. "And so long as the portal remains open, other void creatures, real, stronger ones, will be able to come through without any trouble."

"So we close it. HOW?" Lux repeated her question. Her tone gaining an edge to it.

"The portal must be anchored to something to power it." Janna said.

"Malzahar." Poppy chimed in.

"No, even with that book to empower him, he won't survive the immense mana drain the portal demands."

"Leylines then." Lulu said. The others looked down to her, her hand rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "They're lines of power that circulate a world's natural magics. I read about them from one of Veigar's books. Even weak leylines would have enough power to keep a portal like this open."

"Alright." Lux looked to the others, she was their leader and she had be their pillar of strength here and now. "The portal must be a two way deal, the storm tells us as much, there wouldn't be these crazy weather phenomenons otherwise. See how the air goes from a high pressure atmosphere to a low one? If we can't kill the bastard we shove or trick it back through. When that happens, we close the portal." Lux looked back to the creature then to the portal tearing a hole in the air and through dimensions. Her grip on her baton tightened, and her knuckles went white, she forced a calmness into her voice. A plan slowing coming together in her mind. "Lulu, Janna, you know more than either Poppy or I about this type of magic. You are on portal duty, get close and figure out how to close it, disrupt the spell by any means. Poppy," She turned to look at the yordle. She was already ran through the wringing once, and yet she was still here fighting. "If anything can stand toe to toe with that thing it's going to be you. So both of us will keep that thing distracted, Jinx will help once she meets up with us. Knowing her she's going to go firing off at the first thing she sees. We keep it here at the school, and when we can, force it back through the portal."

"I doubt Malzahar left the portal unattended." Janna said. "If we run into him?"

The two shared a long hard look with one another. "Sorry, but our priority is keeping this world safe. No more second chances for him. You stop him if given the chance."

Janna nodded. If it came to it, she had already made up her mind. Whoever it was she fell in love with was no long gone, and only Malzahar remained.

They turned to see the Herald stumble to the edge of the roof. The massive form towered over the protective fencing that encircled the rooftop. Under a heavy claw the fence crumbled into a twisted heap, and was ripped out form the schools roofing, taking a sizable chunk of school with it. Without waiting, Lux and Poppy shot off towards it, easily gaining its attention. They didn't want it to leave the school, so Lux risked coming close enough for it to take a swipe at her. It was so much quicker than either of them had thought. Luckily the hard carapace missed Lux directly, but the wake it left was enough to send her rolling out of the sky, she landed down in the courtyard in a dust cloud. She felt a shiver run up her legs as she stuck the landing. She gave Janna and Lulu the signal to go and took back to the sky.

To stop it from following up on the attack against Lux, Poppy slammed her hammer on the creatures head. It barely moved, the thunderclap of power had no visible effect at all. All Poppy could see was that the Herald had shifted underneath her hammer to glare at the yordle. Compound eyes stared at her with nasty intent, Poppy could see many reflection of herself against the sickly purple glow they emanated. She gulped as the creature reared back and let out another ear splitting screech. Poppy flinched and held her ears, this close the sheer volume stunned her. It was like a chorus of thousands of nails on thousands of chalkboards. Her head rang and she couldn't hear anything. Not even the thunderclap of lighting striking the portal nearby. It was like a bad case of nausea. Desperate to shake the effects Poppy forced herself to open her eyes and meet the Herald head on. What she saw made her curse. She brought her hammer up, propping it between the crushing edges of the claw coming around her and braced herself. The claw clamped down on the hammer and void magic leaked out all around her, submerging the yordle in the Heralds desire to feed. Poppy yelled in pain as she could feel the pressure the Herald was pushing around her in its vice grip. The only thing preventing the hammer from snapping in half was her own willpower keeping it in one piece.

Lux came flying back and saw the bind Poppy was in and threw spell after spell at the Herald. Lining its side and its head with full power singularities. Like a cascade, they exploded causing enough disruption for the creature to turn its attention away from Poppy. The little yordle took that moment to readjust her grip and slam her hammer down at her feet. Allowing her to fall through into the classroom below. The claw came together at that moment and a shockwave shot out from between its clamped claw. So powerful that it stopped the rain from falling around it for full second before resuming its downpour. Poppy landed among the desks and chairs scattering them in her landing, she tried to steady herself before her legs just gave out. She collapsed. She stayed on her hands and knees, taking deep breath after deep breath. In frustration she slammed her fist against the tiled floor. Ten seconds. She only lasted ten seconds, there was no way she could fight this thing. Not even a little bit. Looking down she saw her hands were shaking. Her eyes went wide, and she had to focus on them, but couldn't convince herself otherwise. She was scared.

…

Malzahar watched as the Herald fought off two Guardians. He was honestly surprised by how quickly they got here. It was far too late for them to stop him but he was impressed nonetheless. From what he knew from Vel'Koz, this creature wasn't even the strongest of the voidborn meant to cross over. That honor belonged to another, a serpent, an elder god, the one meant to devour the whole world in its wake. He smirked when he felt a familiar tingle of magic coming up behind him.

" _My_ Guardian," His voice was sickly sweet as he turned and met Janna eye to eye. Her staff was raised and a torrent of wind shot toward him. He sidestepped the spell, letting it crash uselessly against the concrete floor. Deep thick gashes ran along the concrete where the spell hit. "No quips? No words for your once beloved?"

"Lulu the portal. The book, it's anchoring it to the leylines!" Janna paid no attention to Malzahar's words. Her focus was entirely on the mission. She pointed to the portal a ways behind Malzahar and the tome of magical power right below it. Its pages fluttered erratically and arcs of magic shot through it, connecting the portal to the ground below it.

Lulu on the other hand starred helplessly passed Malzahar, the book, and even the portal itself. Her eyes fixated on a single yordle lying motionless on the ground. Veigar laid curled in a ball; his face plastered with pain, the old scar on his face no longer hidden by his favorite blue baseball cap, his body soaked to the bone by the relentless rain. Lulu felt her stomach drop at his sight, he looked small at this moment, her knees felt like they give out at any second. What she wanted to do was rush over to his side and make sure he was safe, instead she felt a cold emptiness fill her chest. How could she had let this happened? He trusted her to keep him safe, and she had failed. Her greatest fear had come true in this terrifying moment.

"Lulu! Stay focus- -ah!" Janna felt her body go numb as a wave of void magic cut into her being. Janna planted the butt of her staff into the ground and forced herself to keep standing.

"Heed your own words there my guardian." Malzahar said. He looked down at the yordle. "Worried for your little friend? Don't be, his soul is safe in my hands."

Lulu's eyes shifted rapidly, looking to Malzahar and then to the book laying near the portal. In a twentyfive foot radius around the portal was an empowered null zone. She couldn't risk rushing to the book without stepping foot in there. It acted as the main protection against any interference. Malzahar needed to be stopped so the zone could be dispelled and yet that book also held Veigar's soul and also acted as anchor for the portal to connect to this world's leylines. She yelled and raised her staff, from the tip magic came together and shot out like a lance. Glittery magic sharp and true soared straight for Malzahar. He flew upward, taking to the sky. The lance shoot past his feet. He watched for the second lance, knowing whenever she cast the spell that annoying spirit of hers would mirror it. Sure enough from below a second lance came up at him and he had to bend out of the way. The purifying light of the spell was intense, and he could feel it burn across his face as it came close by. Looking down he saw Lulu racing to the book. The null zone left around the portal arc'd up around her, it was like a vacuum hungry to consume all life within its reach and it pulled against Lulu's defense, draining her of power little by little. She ignored it as she flew toward the book. Malzahar tsk'd and opened up two more portals beside her, they each sent a wave of void energy that crashed together. They rushed through Lulu's body and she gasped at the pain. She stumbled and fell out of the air, missing the book. Her feet caught herself clumsily. The small touch was enough for the null zone to latch onto her feet. It dragged her down and threatened to sap away all her energy, she gasped feeling like it was taking the air out of her lungs. The pull was strong enough that she had to plant a firm had down to keep herself from falling completely over. Pix hovered over her, trying to help her back up.

Janna took his distraction as an opening. She let the wind around her come together to a razor's edge. Around her it spun faster and faster until she unleashed a roaring whirlwind toward Malzahar. He was thrown from his position and away from Lulu and the portal. In the air he tumbled like a ragdoll, and Janna followed up with another current of wind. Like thousands of blades the gusts of wind sliced into Malzahar. Cuts tore at his robes and dug into his skin. He quickly dove down to free himself from the torrent. His fingers ran across the gashes on his person, they weren't that deep, if he had stayed a second longer that might not have been true. Seemed like she was all too ready to be rid of him. That made him frown, after all, he wasn't as ready to be rid of her, not just yet.

…

"Poppy!" Lux called out as she ran around the Herald. Her legs burned as she sped along the rain slick rooftop. The Herald watched the Guardian carefully, its scythe like legs kept it shifting, turning so the girl never left it's sight. Her legs pumped hard to carry her faster and faster. She kept going regardless of the ache. In the corner of her eye she kept a lookout for the little yordle. The Herald stood close to the hole Poppy made, and she needed to keep its attention on her if Poppy was to get out of there. She unleashed a hail of binding light, hoping that if she could layer on enough of them it would trap the Herald in place. No such luck it seemed. Every cage that caught the creature would shatter as it swept a claw forward, they were much too small to hold its massive size so broke apart at the barest of movements. It screeched and dug its claws down at its sides, taking a runner's crouch. Lux saw this and quickly changed her direction, taking to the sky as fast as she could climb. The Herald roared as it burst forward, using its scythe like legs to skitter across the ground. Lux saw that it had two main legs, but there were also four extra on its torso, two at each side. All six legs helped it charged at Lux. She was in the air just high enough to feel it graze against her arm. The rough carapace of the creature's shell felt like sandpaper against her skin. Lux winced in pain as it came rushing past her, lucky that she was able to clear it's towering height. It would of ran clear off the rooftop if it hadn't dug its front two claws into the school and used its pair of wings as a parachute to stop itself. Lux landed behind the massive creature and saw the wings fold back in place. There it was. A weak spot. Between the chitin plating of its shell was its soft body, when it spread its wings it left itself vulnerable. It actually looked like a seperate eye from what she could see, but Lux was taking it one step at a time.

She was too distracted by this revelation that she failed to notice the tail that it had was cocked back. It swung it like a whip, and struck Lux full on. Her shield shattered into a hail of sparks as she flew across the open air. Her head swam, and she felt disorientated. Around her she saw the ground whip across her view over and over again as she tumbled through the sky. The rain was sharp cold glass across her skin, and pelted her all around, making it impossible to tell which direction was up. She knew she had to get a hold of herself before she struck the ground. Desperately she tried to steady herself, and instantly regretted it. When she reached out it sent a hot rod of pain up her arm, and at that moment knew her arm was broken. It must have shattered when the tail struck her. _Dammit_. She clutched her arm like a newborn, the bone was like gravel inside her and felt limp, her baton pressed close to her chest was held so loose she was afraid she might drop it. She let her shield envelope her again, expanding it out as far as she could while keeping its tensile strength high. She had to play this by instinct and that left too many things by chance. She was going too fast and couldn't stop herself mid air, the best she could do was try and slow her decent and cushion her landing. She didn't know if she'd survive such a harsh impact. Seeing the floor whip by her, she pushed herself to fly in what she hope was skyward.

...

Jinx felt the building shake as she ran, she had waited for the others to show up, using that time to barricade Vi in the infirmary and quickly scout out the school for the boys. She didn't know if it was a good or bad sign that she couldn't find them. She pressed on regardless, she had to believe that they were smart enough to just escape while they still could and are now miles away from this gigantic mess. The doors to the closest classroom burst open from a shockwave and Jinx had to throw herself into a slide to dodge them. The wood flew over her head and embedded itself into the wall across from her. She wondered what could possibly cause that. Peering around the frame she saw the hole in the ceiling first and the Herald roar and thunder away through it. She was stunned at the creature Malzahar brought through into this world. Her eyes trailed down and saw Poppy on the ground. Rain fell all around her, the endless drops of water already soaked the classroom and left the yordle a soggy mess. The yordle was shaking, her breaths quick and fractured. Jinx came up to her, her feet splashing against the mini flood. Poppy pulled away when she heard someone coming close, eye wide and full of fear.

"Whoa whoa, calm down. It's just me." Jinx said soothingly, she walked into the rain allowing it to run down her body. Her hands were raised up to show she wasn't a threat. Poppy took in her new look, and the two creatures floating by her head. Jinx ignore the staring and looked back up through the hole and saw nothing. She could still hear it, whatever it was, and it sounded pissed.

Poppy sneered and slammed her fist into the ground. "Agh, I can't get a hold of myself!" Her hands kept shaking no matter what she did. Her voice was cracking and she could feel the tears forming in her eyes despite the rain doing a good job at hiding them.

Jinx watched Poppy carefully. Slowly she rested a hand on her when she knew she wouldn't pull away in fright. "Take a breather Shortcake. We got your back on this. You ain't alone."

Poppy nodded her head. "...Thanks" She steeled herself and took one large deep breath. She looked up and let the water run down her face. Her inner light felt so dim right now, and she could feel her magic waning. Fear in the face of death was normal, even if she had the courage to face it the fear was still there. _I have courage_. She told herself. A spark of light brightened in her core. Only a tiny flicker. It will have to do. Her hands tightened into fists. She pushed them hard into the ground and forced herself to stand. She reached down and hefted her hammer back over her shoulder. The building shook again, through a nearby window they saw loose rubble fall away from the school. Without warning Jinx, Poppy grabbed hold of her and leapt through the ceiling.

They landed and saw the hide of the Herald shift. It lumbered back around to face them, its eyes locking onto Poppy. It screeched and planted its claws down into the school. Poppy scanned the sky for Lux, the hairs at the back of her neck stood when she failed to find her. Jinx shook Poppy out from her thoughts.

"Move!" Jinx pushed Poppy to the side as a barrage of magic arc'd from the Herald to the Guardians on the roof. Orbs of energy lobbed through the air and crashed down on the ground, sending shockwaves throughout the rooftop. The volley was tremendous, and it blanketed the sky. Jinx ran as fast as she could, each orb crashing closer to her than the one before. She dove forward when one exploded at her feet. She tumbled forward, taking the brunt of the fall on her back.

Poppy chanced it and took to the sky, only to regret it when she couldn't find a clear path past them. She swung her hammer round and felt an orb burst on the other side of the shaft. Her hands throbbed in pain as she felt shockwave ride up the handle. Poppy flew back, clear over the edge of the school. The only consolation being that she was shielded by the school from further attacks. Floor after floor, Poppy fell. She jammed her hammer into the school's side and her descent slowed to a crawl. A trail of rubble left in her wake. She looked down to see that she was only a few feet from crashing into the bushes below. A quick jerk dislodged her hammer from the wall and Poppy looked up at the school. She had to get back up there. Jinx was left alone and she knew the girl wouldn't have all the tricks the other Guardians had. Digging in her heels she readied herself to jump back up.

Jinx sat up not that far away, around her were pock marks and loose concrete. Her hands rubbed her back, pulling away when it stung from the scratches made from her rough landing. She grimaced when she noticed the bit of blood covering her hands. It faded as the rain washed away the stains in an instant. "Damnit." She got up and was taken back by the destruction all around her. She cursed again and looked back at the Herald. Poppy had made her way back up to the rooftop and swung her hammer at its claw. The two collided and Jinx could hear them crash together. It held itself against Poppy and took one step forward, pushing the yordle aside and readjusting itself. The simple motion threw Poppy off her balance and sent her into what was left of the fencing. Jinx stood racking her brain on what she should do. Yes, she can barrage the creature with light, but her little sparks would bounce off that hard shell just like the rain around it. It was almost ineffective. All it would accomplish was piss it off and she for sure as all hell didn't want that. Especially when she knew Poppy was going to get caught in that mess. Ah dammit it was the best plan she had.

...

Janna watched Lux fly off into the sky and she turned to chase after her. Only to stop when an arm came around her throat. She kicked backwards, and forced Malzahar and her into a tight spiral as they flew. There was just enough space for her to slam the back of her head into Malzahar's nose. The prophet howled in pain, but it let Janna get out of his grasp. She created further distance with a burst of wind, sending her and Malzahar in separate directions. Looking down she saw Lulu nod her head, shooing her to follow after Lux. That was all she needed, Janna went off like a rocket towards her friend, Malzahar hot on her heels.

Lulu watched them fly away. She grit her teeth and planted her staff into the ground, the shallow pool of void energy was all around her. Her body was filling with static, like both her legs had gone to sleep simultaneously and was threatening to engulf her whole body. They were sluggish and unresponsive. Using both her hands she used her staff to help her climb back up to her full height. Her legs wobbled at the exertion. Pix pulled at her collar, and she smiled at him. Using his help she pulled away from the null zone at her feet. The void energy lingered around her white boots as it sloped off them like oil, falling back into the shallow pool. Once she was free she clear the rest of the pool and landed near the boys. She sat panting in the rain. Quizzically she looked at the portal. Janna had warned them that the void would be trying to flood into their way through like if a damn broke between their two worlds. Why is it then that nothing else had come through yet? Something was off. Only way for her to figure out what was to get her hands on that good for nothing book. Lulu took a deep breath. She leveled her staff so it floated parallel to the floor. If she was careful she could fly close without accidentally coming into range of the null zone. She wasn't sure if she could handle another dip in that pool. Problem was that the book was practically drenched in it. The portal above and the pool below, energy ran between the two with the book at the center. Worry about that latter. She shook her hands, letting her blood flow into her fingers and loosening them up. The rain did little to help that, each drop of water sapped away at her body heat, but she had to ignore it best she could. She centered herself and cast one last glance to Veigar. "I got this. Wish me luck." She swung a leg over the staff and hugged it close to her body. No hesitation. She shot forward. The portal screamed as she flew by. Afraid, she gave it a wide berth. A mistake. She was far out of reach from the book and had to circle back around. Unaware of the eye watching her every move. Her second pass found her in arms reach. Her fingers reached down, and the null zone latched onto them. Pain seared up her arm as she stretched them out. Her fingers grazed the pages and she cursed. So close.

Her third pass brought her close to the portal again. A searing gaze of single large eye caught her attention. Its unblinking size terrified Lulu. She tried her best to ignore it as she closed in on the book, when the things tentacles lashed out at her just as she was within reach. She lost her balance from her staff and fell into the shallow pool, she rolled across the ground arms coming up to protect her head. Static covered her entire body as the pool sapped away at her strength. Lulu gasped in pain and fought to sit up right, she reached for her staff to only notice that it, her sole method of flight, was several feet away. She rolled over onto her knees and looked up, before her was the portal. The eye mere feet away, examining her with its scrutinizing gaze. Again it lashed out and Lulu flinched away, she called for Pix and the spirit surrounded her with protective magic. It wasn't needed, she cracked open her eyes and saw the portal billowing against the creature's tentacles. Like there was a thin film preventing him from taking that final breach to break into her world.

Lulu smirked. Struggling she brought up a knee, and held her self steady with it. She didn't know why the portal only let the Herald through but it bought her time. A sizzling crackling sound took her out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw that the giant eye was channeling a laser against the portal's wall. It bulged against the pressure, and from Lulu's unfortunate point of view, it was slowly melting its way through. Her eyes went down to the book lying before her, knowing it lied in the path of the laser once it broke the barrier between worlds, and then finally over to her staff at the edge of the pool, which might as well been miles away. She forced herself to stand, fire shooting up her legs, and took one painful step to the book.

…

Lux saw the ground zooming by inches from her face once she opened her eyes, the edges of her shields fracturing into shards as it ground against the earth. Sparks of light fading into nothing. She angled herself up, letting her feet fall first instead of her head. She hit the ground running, literally. Each jarring step made her broken arm writhe in her grip. She bit off a strangled whine and held it in. Focusing on staying upright through her extended crash landing. She feared she might stagger and end up crashing when a torrent of wind surrounded her, cushioning her fall. She finally slowed down enough to right herself. Her feet skid against the packed dirt. A trial of upturned dirt marked her crooked path, each foot step and stride several feet apart. Lux looked up to see Janna had saved her. Her smile was short lived though, as she took her baton in her free hand she shot out a binding spell at Janna. The girl ducked it and it instead slammed into Malzahar first. The prophet came to a sudden halt, the cage of light preventing him from moving. Coming up to Lux's side Janna landed with no grace, too much adrenaline coursing through her to try for any amount of subtlety. With the prophet locked down, if even only temporarily, Janna let out a gust of wind. The invisible razor blades cut at Malzahar and he shielded himself poorly with his arms. The wind cut into his forearms, sides and legs. His robes were ribbons, and blood was soaking into the fabric. It dripped to the ground below and mixed with the mud. This was only the second time Lux had seen him so injured. She was surprised he hadn't just shifted planes to run away already. Then again this was his endgame, for him it must be do or die.

He let out a burst of magic, shattering the binding light into sparks. Lux took a few steps back to brace herself for the follow up. Eyes darting to her sides for the telltale attack. No portals opened up beside her, and she wondered what he was up to. What came was a choked out laugh.

"Janna." Malzahar said, too smooth for his own good.

"Quiet." Janna said, her staff already building up another whirlwind at her feet.

He looked around the field. "We had our little reunion a few months back just over… there." Lux chanced a glance and did remember that her first run in with Malzahar was in the courtyard next to the athletics field. His reunion with Janna was then, when she reawoken to help Lux fight a turned Ms. Laurent. It felt like a lifetime ago, so much has changed since then, "Doesn't this bring back so many" He lashed out his, fiery purple haze erupting from his hands. "Memories!"

Malefic visions, haunted memories from her past filled Janna's head. Her many failings as a Star Guardian leader on full display within her mind. It was like a bonfire was lit behind her eyes and Janna couldn't put it out. Her hands came up to her head and she wanted to pull out her hair. Lux came to her side, but could do nothing to aid her. Nothing she said would even reach her, Janna could only hear static and the painful words of her past.

Lux, furious, lashed out at Malzahar. He flew away, his hands dancing out in front of him. Every gesture, every flick of the wrist made Janna cry in pain. Deftly he kept out of range of Lux's spells while cranking up the power of his own. It was easy to keep out of her spells range, they felt far weaker and clumsy. The consequence of casting with her non-dominant hand. The hold on Janna's mind tightened as he forced her to relive each moment he took a guardian away from her and paired it sickenly with a tender moment they had shared together. The bittersweetness of seeing someone she held so close in her arms and shared intimacy with, be also the man that killed her friends and allies broke Janna's heart. The girl fell to her knees, hands clutching her heart, the pain and emptiness welling up in her chest and choking her through wracked sobs.

"Janna! You have to get up!" Lux's baton sat in the crook of her arm as she reached down to Janna. Maybe if she got enough space between them, the hold will break.

"Stay out of this! This has nothing to do with you." Malzahar said, a bolt of raw void magic crashing into Lux. The girl fell backwards away from her upperclassman. Through sobs Janna looked to Malzahar as he slowly approached her. He looked down at her, his hollow eyes telling her nothing. They held nothing inside those voids that were once soft chocolate hues, "It hurts doesn't it." Magic danced between his fingers. Small purple bolts of energy moved threateningly. "To see someone betray you so thoroughly. To know that they were lying to your face… That's what I felt. Every time you chose to your Guardianship over me. Leaving me alone to deal with this loneliness." He clenched his fist tight and the magic popped out of existence. The haze of memories and emotions engulfing Janna's head disappeared in an instant. Allowing her a brief moment to catch her breath. "You were given a second chance by your precious First Star and you STILL CHOSE THEM!" He held an accusatory finger at Lux. Magic shot out at her and Lux cried out. It wasn't the same purple haze like magic given to him by the void. It was green, and held darker intentions.

"Malzahar…. Al…" Janna soft voice was muffled against the rain.

He jerked his hand away and Lux fell down into the mud. Still gasping and holding tight against her soul. "But I forgive you. I will always forgive you. That's because I love you, and will always love you." He touched his heart gently with his hands, slowly he held them out to Janna. "I finally found a way, to ensure that you will forever be mine." He closed the distance between them and held Janna. A hand cradled her head and another pressed firmly on her heart. Janna choked on her soul, the green magic welling up in her throat. Janna own hands came up and pawed useless against Malzahar's arms. Her hands failing to muster enough strength to fight against him. The soul magic used to strip other of their desires, hopes and dreams tore away at Janna's entire being. Like layers of her subconscious being stripped bare. Her connection to the First Star waned at his touch. While he couldn't sever the connection entirely, he could damage it. He smothered her inner light, caging in its brightness until he couldn't see anything but a faint smoulder in her. Then her memories of Lux, Poppy, Lulu and even Jinx went. Their time spent together forging new bond became nothing. Only washed out visions, vague thoughts about people she once knew. Even her battles with Malzahar when she used to be the leader of the Guardians. Those too were washed over. Leaving only an impression of a person. She saw Mal-, she saw Ala'aldeen. She laughed at his awkward confession. She smiled at their clumsy first date. Her heart raced as they stood in each others arms. The light touch of their lips sent a thrilling wave of excitement through her. He molded her soul into the shape of his own desires. Her inner light, her connection to the First Star dimmed and then, Janna flashed and her Guardian uniform was replaced, she was back wearing her normal school clothes.

Malzahar's hands raised up to Janna's chin, he raised her head up to his own. Her eyes closed and her lips parted as she leaned into his embrace.

A searing hot light separated the two. White light filled his sight, burning away any shadows that dared come too close. Janna dazed mind fell into unconsciousness, while Malzahar fell away into the grassy field feet away. He growled and slammed a fist into the wet ground. He pushed up off the grass to see Lux standing beside his Janna. light emanated from her baton, so intense that he could feel the heat all the way over here through the sheer rain sogged cold.

"You sick bastard." Lux seethed.

…

Ekko was feeling like he was a passenger in his own body. The controls of his mind that lay before him were rusty and cobwebbed up so badly that it took forever to do something. Despite what everyone thought he fully knew what was going on. At least he was ninety percent sure of what was going on. Magic was wild and he didn't even want to begin to try understanding the complicated shit surrounding that mess of relations between everyone. His head hurt and he was soaked from the rain. Standing up shouldn't take this long. Mentally Ekko yelled in frustration, his hands slamming on the button that made his legs work and got little response. In his view he saw his hands push down on the ground and he cheered, _yes, yes, get up!_ He saw the Green Guardian forcing her way to the book that held his soul. Some natural call told him that if he could get his hands on it, he'd be back to normal instantly. If the Guardian got that book, this portal can close, and then he can get his soul back. All problems solved. He looked down to the staff laying near his body, almost a mile away mentally. Their struggles similar yet vastly different. His eyes swept to the others around him. All of them were knocked out form the force that ripped their souls out. He could see Jayce and Ezreal laying together and Veigar at their feet. They were in no condition to help him in this and all the other guardians were too busy with whatever that thing was. He pushed his mind to focus on moving his body, already knowing he was going to have nightmares about it later, those had to be put on hold, right now he had to help the guardian.

He got to his knees when explosions rocked all around him. Him and the other boys were thrown by the shockwave. Not far, but it did push him back into square one. His face pressed against the concrete, feeling the water pool around his face uncomfortably. Ekko wanted to cry, this was grating, frustrating and he was pretty sure he's going to go crazy from this experience. His hand reached out and pushed his body around. His back lay flat against the concrete. The rain above stung as it struck his face.

Something pushed against his chest. He saw the face off Ezreal, his breath hot on his face. His eyes, they weren't glazed over like his own… Ezreal still had his soul! "E-Ekko." Blood leaked out from his split lip. He seethed and forced himself to lay across the dark skin boy's chest. "We, we gotta get out of here. Can you stand?"

Ekko eyes broke away from Ezreal's, ignoring the question entirely, he locked onto the staff much further away now and willed Ezreal to notice. "S-staff." His voice was like gravel in his mouth and his jaw was heavy like lead. He hated how much effort he had to put into a single word.

Ezreal looked at him confused when he looked up he saw Lulu struggling nearby. The spirit latched onto her collar was the only thing keeping her from sprawling down into the null zone. Then down at the staff laying at the edge of the pool. He looked down at Ekko and knew what he had to do, he gave the boy an understanding nod. Ezreal pushed off Ekko, who let out a grunt of discomfort. He'd apologized but he needed to get to his feet quickly. He got to his knees when the school shook again. Whatever Jinx and Poppy were doing was making this a whole lot harder, the school could take only so much punishment. Ekko's arm shot up suddenly steadying Ezreal before the boy fell over. They stared at one another, neither was in good condition that much was true, and both hardly got along all that much in the first, but possibly if they can work together, trust each other, then that can save themselves a world. Their hands interlocked on each other's forearm and Ezreal pulled Ekko up, allowing him to sit upright on his own. Ekko lurched and clumsily got to his feet. Ezreal struggled to get to his own, his aching body making it just as difficult as if he had lost his entire soul and not a mere fragment. The two leaned heavily on one another. Arms wrapped around their lifeline, Ezreal took one step and Ekko followed after. Ezreal looked down at Ekko and they smirked.

Lulu's eyes were blurry. The world around her was beginning to fade into darkness. Her hands propped herself up off the ground, but that hardly mattered. Her life, her mana was draining out of her. Bleeding out like if a hole was punch through her. Pix was flapping his wings like mad, pulling her shirt tight against her body, but doing little to actually hoist her up. She grit her teeth, her tiny fangs biting into her lip. Her eyes narrowed at the book floating just in front of her. If only she could just grab it. The laser from the giant eye pierced through the barrier. What came through was only a tiny sliver compared to its full size. It drilled into Lulu's shoulder. It seared like a hot rod burning away at her skin. She bit her lip harder to quell the scream dying to get out. Tears streamed across her cheeks, leaving hot stains of anguish. So much effort, so much will power was used just to ignore it. She had to push passed the pain and… reach… Her hand extended out in front of her. Magic flooded into her as her fingers danced across the pages. It was like dipping a hand in water too hot to touch, her fingers burned from the power arcing the book and into her. The dark corruptive magic was overwhelming her senses, the only thing keeping her aware was... "Ve-veigar…" Two fingers. Her index and ring finger clipped a page, and snatched a hold. She didn't have time to enjoy her success. The laser beam widened to about the size of a quarter, she felt it drill further into her body, until it came out the other side. Mustering all she could, she pulled her hand away. The book practically fell atop of here, as she fell too, her knee buckling beneath her. The laser scorched a hot line across her chest as she managed to get out of its way. She clutched the book tight in her arms. "Got it…" When she looked up she was shocked to see the portal still up.

The creature had made a hole big enough to it to hold it open itself. Tentacles pushed at the edges of whatever was stopping its brethren from coming through the portal. Voidlings crowded behind the creature eager to get out. Lulu's face drained of color. The void creature loomed in front of her, eye burning with a hunger held back for centuries. It was starving and she could sense the malice dripping from it. It braced itself against the portal and reached forward with a tentacle. The tip glowed with a raw energy that Lulu feared. She took one difficult step back, feeling her stomach drop at the effort.

"Guardian!" Ezreal struggled to yell. In his hand was Lulu's staff. Ekko holding him up, barely.

She looked to him and then at the portal about to burst from voidlings. She held out a hand. "Throw it!"

The staff went through the air end over end. Ezreal's throw was weak, and the staff clattered against the floor, the momentum making it bounce. Pix let go of Lulu, flying to intercept the staff, while she held her ground. The laser came at her again, and she dove to the side. Pix appeared before her in a flash, staff in hand and shield wrapping around her. She hugged him and let the staff rocket her away. Letting the laser trail after her, cutting a line in the concrete. It didn't crack or crumble so much as disintegrate under the powerful magic. Lulu circled around the portal, cutting off her line of sight from the void creature and effectively getting out of the beam's range. Too worn and injured to keep up the flight, Lulu fell off her staff and into the hard concrete floor. The rain made it slick and she slide across the ground. Coming to a halt at the rooftop's edge, Lulu lifted a hand and grasped at the chain link fencing. This side at least still had fencing, way on the other side the school was just rubble. She pulled herself up and gasped at the fight happening below.

Janna was out cold, laying in the mud, while Lux and Malzahar traded spell after spell. Lulu's grip on the fence tightened and she forced herself back to her feet. She watched them fly through the sky, far faster than she ever seen them go. Lux left a trail of pink light in her path. They flew over head, and circled the school. Lulu hefted up her own staff, ready to take flight. She winced at the effort, and Pix looked worried. "The portal is still open, and he knows why." Lulu said.

Ezreal and Ekko watched the guardian take to the sky, catching up to her teammate and chasing after Malzahar. Ezreal smiled and let out a weak cheer. He wrapped an arm around Ekko's head in a sort of hug. Ekko managed his own smile somehow. Their revelry was short lived when they heard the screeching of several voidlings. They fell out of the portal in a tangle of limbs. The large one eyed void creature watching their every move before the spell prevent their breach closed back around it. A single limb keeping it's tear open. It directed the lesser ones to chase after them and they stumbled after the boys. Ezreal cursed and turned, only for Ekko to turn with him and collide together. They fell into a pile. Ekko struggled to regain the control he had over his body, his mind fogging over again into a damnable haze. Ezreal's chin hit the ground and he bit his tongue, it sent a shock up his body. Wincing, he opened his eyes and caught sight of a gem. A strangely familiar gem. He grabbed it in, and a small bit of power danced against his open palm. It sparkled in his eyes and he heard that 'chirping' sounds again, like a cats trilled pur. The voidlings clambered across the rooftop, and he had no time to question what the gem was or what he heard. He clambered to his feet, forcing Ekko to follow suit whether he had control or not.

A voidling struck the ground before their feet, and Ezreal kicked at it. His shoe doing little in the means of hurting the creature. "We got to get the guys back downstairs." He felt Ekko push into him as another voidling came too close.

By some miracle they found themselves by Jayce and Veigar's side. The two still lying unconscious in the rain. Ekko fell atop of Jayce, while Ezreal landed on his knees. The blond boy shook Veigar, willing him to wake up. "C'mon, c'mon. We have to get out of here!" Ezreal grabbed hold of Veigar by the scruff of his hood and pulled him out of the way of a voidling. The leg of the creature cracked into the concrete. Ezreal rolled backwards into Jayce and Ekko. All four boys looking at their untimely demise. Ezreal took them in his arms praying something to happen. The crystal in his hand glowed and in a flash of arcane power, they disappeared.

All four appeared in a flash of light, landing in a heap in the familiar room of the Anime Club. Ezreal looked around in surprise, his eyes not believing what he saw. What he did. He looked at the dark room, figures lined the shelves and rain pelted the window. He looked down and saw Ekko staring at him. What could he possibly say?

Their silent moment was broken when Jayce stirred awake, followed closely by Veigar. The little yordle bleary eyed, felt around for his missing hat.

…

Poppy breath caught in her throat as she fell through the air. The rush of wind around her, and the fact that she was falling made it hard for her to breathe. She landed in a roll and kept her momentum going. Her tiny legs pumping hard underneath her, she circled the gap in the roof that she made, taking a wide berth around it so she could keep it and the Herald within her line of sight. The Herald ran toward her, legs skittering and tearing up the concrete beneath it. Poppy thought it'd trip through the hole, allowing enough time for her to at least rest. No such luck. The Herald fluttered its wings and jumped into the air. Poppy ducked, the scythe legs cutting above her. It landed in a crash, kicking up rubble and water all around it. As it turned around, the thing's tail lashed out at Poppy. The girl brought her hammer around and parried the blow. It was like diverting a raging river with an oar. The hammer's head crashed into the tail, angleed the blow upward so that wouldn't strike Poppy directly. The tail roared over Poppy's head and yet it still uprooted Poppy from her stance. Her feet lost traction on the rooftop and she skittered backwards. While her hands ached as the hammer reverberated in her grip. The tail landed a foot away from her and brought up more dirt and water, catching her in the face. She hacked, as some debris caught itself in her throat. Suddenly she felt something pull at her collar, and she was thrown from her spot. Looking behind her, she saw Jinx, the girl's hand holding her tightly. When Poppy looked back she saw the Herald's claw land where she was a moment ago.

Jinx let Poppy go and they slid on the ground. She brought about Shiro and let loose a hail of light bullets. They sparked against its hard shell. The Herald ignored the attacks. Jinx didn't relent, she traced a line across its body, prodding for any sort of weak spot. The Joints, the gaps in the carapace, the thing's big stupid face. When the barrage danced across the Herald's eyes it roar in pain as the light blinded it. The glow of its compound eye dimed, bacuase of how the eye was structured, it was unable to blink away any damage it sustained.

"Nice." Poppy said, she stood and quickly fell back down.

Jinx knelt down and noticed how cold Poppy was. Jinx interlocked their arms and hoisted the yordle back to her feet. "You gotta get out of here, you're literally burning yourself out. I can barely feel the First Star's light in you."

"No way. Lux said I gotta keep that thing distracted." Poppy used her hammer to steady herself.

"I'll keep it distracted instead." Jinx insisted. "You won't be much help if you die on us."

"I'm-" Poppy sucked in a breath. "One hit from that thing and you're flattened. I can at least tank it. Hit, get hit, that's my job."

Jinx looked at Poppy, her brows knitting together in concern. "Alright, either way I'm still with you. I can piss it off, and get you some space when you need it."

The two nodded. They broke apart and ran in opposite directions. When the Herald returned it's pursuit it only saw Jinx circling wide, the other eye permanently injured left an exploitable blindspot. It roared at her, hunching over again to unleash a barrage of magic orbs. Jinx felt adrenaline coursing through her, letting her push herself faster. Behind her the orbs exploded, causing craters to appear in the concrete. Jinx didn't know how much more punishment the school could take. It wasn't invulnerable, and was bound to give at any moment. As the barrage thinned out Jinx took Kuro and fired. The dense concentration of light flew between a gap in the orbs, and exploded against the Herald's face. It took a step back, and flexed its mandibles on its face. She thought it looked like it narrowed its eyes at her even if it didn't have eyelids, she gulped as she noticed that the thing raised its claws and slammed them down. The ground erupted in pillars of void energy all around it. What was left of this section of roofing collapsed outward from the Herald, shattering beneath Jinx's feet. She back pedaled and fought to stay upright as the ground gave way. She fell through the roof, landing hard inside the classroom below. The chairs and desks did little to cushion her fall. Shiro and Kuro circled above her, unable to help her up. Cursing, Jinx pushed the bits of rubble off of her. Her leg felt funny, like it was taught inside her skin and static was buzzing all around her calf. She blanched when she removed a large chunk of concrete off her leg and saw the massive bruise covering the entire leg. Crap that doesn't look good.

Jinx looked up when she heard the Herald moving, getting up from the destruction it caused, pieces of school cascading off it's back leaving barely a scratch across its hard shelled surface. Of course that thing is still standing. It shook itself, sending water, dirt and debris flying around it. It fluttered its wings. The insectoid gossamer strangely beautiful to Jinx. It took a step toward the fallen guardian and she struggled to climb to her feet.

Poppy roared as she leapt off the top of the roof and to the Herald. Her hammer raised above her and glowing with intense blue light. She spun it rapidly, increasing the power of her swing until it was a mere blur to Jinx. Poppy swung down as hard as she could and cracked it against its head. Light exploded from her hammer. The Herald bent at the blow. It's head doubled over from the force. The shockwave from the attack pushed all the rubble and water away from the impact. Rain hung still in the air for just that moment. Poppy pushed it harder still, letting the light she honed penetrate the carapace on its head. A crack formed across the head, light burst out the remaining eye and for a second Poppy was thrilled. She kicked off the Herald and landed before Jinx, panting heavily. All of Poppy's strength left her at that moment. Light fell off her body and she was left standing in her school uniform, hands calloused and bruised and blood caked her forehead. Jinx watched Poppy sway from side to side and collapse at her feet, a smirk on her face. The Herald swayed too, for a moment, then planted a claw into the floor and propped itself back up. It shook its head, trying to shake the effects of the attack. The crack marred across its face blinded one eye, while the other was dim and damage from Jinx's previous attack. It let out a howling screech and thrashed about violently, searching for whoever injured it.

Using her hands Jinx pulled herself to Poppy's side. She held her close in her arms, and fumbled for them to get out of the void creatures way. The wild unaimed aggression tore up the school further. Jinx found a gap in the rubble and crawled through, finding that it lead back into the school's many hallways.

…

Lux felt the void energy bite into her as she flew around Malzahar, trying to get an angle on him. Her arm was completely numb, she had no idea if that was a good or bad sign, and she feared the worst. She pushed those thoughts to the side as she threw a spell at him. The binding spell held him in place long enough for her to send a singularity his way. The chromatic burst of light stunned him briefly, and he lashed out erratically. His madened state making him reckless. Lux had to fly low and dive out of the way. Waves of void energy mixing in the already magically charge storm. Lightning cracked behind her and she spun away from the bolt. She came to a rest above the school, she quickly glanced down to see that the Herald was inside a crafter of its own making and the portal was a buzz with voidlings clogging its entrance. _Where is everyone?_ Lux was caught up searching frantically for her fellow guardians. Malzahar came upon her, hands crackling with power.

He laughed as she was surprised by his grasp. His hands coming around her throat. "You have failed guardian. Janna's soul is now mine, forever entwined with my own."

Lux sucked in a strangled breath. "You stole away her life, and left a husk. Is that really love?"

"The First Star was the one who stole her away, I'm taking back what was taken from me." Malzahar looked down at Lux. She couldn't break his hold. "And now that I have her, the void can have what is left of this world. I no longer have to keep them back."

"So that's it"

Malzahar eyes went wide as Pix appeared before him, a shield separating him and Lux. He turned around to see Lulu holding Mejai's tome. She leveled her staff at him and fired a lance of magic through him. One from Lulu and the other from Pix. The magic skewered him and he could feel his movements become sluggish. He put as much distance as he could between him and them.

Lux rubbed at her neck. She cleared her throat and winced. "Your obsessed with her. You withheld the Void from making that final breach because you couldn't let her go, and that in the end is going to be your downfall."

Malzahar smirk and held his arms out wide. "Ah but you are mistaken." He lowered himself, so they flew closer to the school. "Look around you. The Void's Herald has already taken care of the other guardians, and the portal's block was only temporarily. They will come through despite my stalling."

Lux and Lulu looked and saw that what he said was true.

The Herald roared and came up out of the crater with a burst of unmitigated rage. It clawed at the edge of the crater, breaking up the roof further before it could get enough traction to pull itself out. It shook off any debris covering its shell. In a flourish the carapace on its back broke open and parted, flinging loose rubble all around it. Its wings kicked up a storm and out from between the wings a third eye peer out. The eye lashed out, searching for the yordle and girl that blinded it.

The portal crackled as the void creature stuck between the edges tore itself free. It stretched out its tentacles and felt fresh air against its body for the first time in centuries. Around it voidlings jumped out from the portal before the blockade snapped back into place. The prophet approached the creature and bowed deeply to it. "Vel'Koz, Welcome to-" A tentacle shot out and wrapped around his neck. Vel'Koz hoisted him up and its grip tightened like a vice. Malzahar hands pawed at the appendage. Desperate for relief. He was at a loss of breath instantly. The tentacle tightened around his neck until he could barely move. His face became purple like his robes. Lux and Lulu watched in apprehension.

"Selfish." Vel'Koz said as it examined him. "You risked everything because of petty emotions."

Malzahar forced air into his lungs, his vision was already blackening around the edges. He had feared that this might happen. Once his usefulness had run dry the void wouldn't hesitate in getting rid of him. He was smart in setting some precautions to safeguard his survival. "K-kill me, and- and the portal closes. It runs not through the book," He gestured to Mejai's tome in Lulu's hand, then to himself "But through me… I am the linchpin that anchors the portal to the leylines." He looked to the Guardians, "And Guardians, if I die, so shall Janna…"

Vel'Koz's single eye narrowed, reading the subtle changes of chemicals in Malzahar's brain to discover that he told the truth. Very subtly it loosened its grip on Malzahar's neck. He was allowed one single breath before he was thrown to the ground harshly by the voidborn creature. His body hitting the ground hard enough that he bounced. Vel'Koz floated slowly towards the Guardians. "Then it is the book I need to replace the faulty component."

Lux raised her single good arm and readied a spell. Lulu took a step back, book clutched tightly in her hands. They stood, carefully watching the other, willing them to make the first move. The tense standoff broke as the Herald screeched behind them.

…

Janna felt a haze surrounding her head as her eyes snapped open. She was cold, wet and covered in mud. The last thing she could remember was- a sharp pain shot through her skull. She was fighting against… Malzahar. The name lingered on the tip of her tongue, and tasted of acid. A burning hatred for him came over her and she had no idea why. Slowly she pushed herself upright, her hand sunk into the mud as she tested her legs. Al… He must have- if anything happened to him… wait. Janna shook her head again, everything was so damn fuzzy… She pushed herself back to her feet and looked around. The ground was torn up, patches of dirt marred the athletic's field and the heavy rain flooded the area badly. She hugged herself tightly, her hands rubbing her arms to bring them warmth. It didn't help. Seeing the school nearby, she ran towards the closest entrance she could find.

"Kai?" She called out. She looked around for her friend. "Kai where are you?" The raven haired girl was nowhere to be seen. Inside the halls were dark, the lights have all gone out and the whole place was quiet.

Why was she alone at school at night?

Where was Ala'aldeen? He was just here, she saw him.

Malzahar… there was that name again.

"What is going on…" Janna felt her head throb again. She pushed hard against the fog, but came up with nothing. The mental block was too strong to fight.

" _..."_ Something like a voice called in her head, it sounded so faint and distant. Janna spun around looking for its source but couldn't see any. Where ever the voice came from, it sounded warm and beautiful. And familiar at that. Like a long lost friend whose face and name have been forgotten. Just hearing it set Janna at ease, she felt she could trust this voice. Yet it was so quiet, that Janna had to strain to hear it clearly. " _..."_

"Hello?" Janna tried to call out to the voice. Hoping that maybe it can tell her what had happened to her, "I can't remember anything. The last," Janna's eyes went wide as she realized, "the… last TWO years. I can't remember any of it." She looked down at her hands, the implication that two years have passed in the blink of an eye for her made her legs weak. She wobbled and slumped against the wall. Shock riddled her whole body. Her hands tightened into fists. "This is all Malzahar's faults."

There was that name again. If only she could place it. It didn't belong to the voice that called to her now. Though this one also felt familiar.

"Please help me remember." Janna clasped her hands together.

Janna took a calming breath and her head was flooded with images.

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap. Whole lot of action this chapter that I just wanted to jump right into. Which makes this the densest of chapters I believe I've ever written. Gotta hit that climax full sprint in my opinion. Only now did I realize that this makes two chapters in a row of straight up fighting (Possibly three, if my next chapter keeps the fight rolling). That makes me wonder, do you guys like it if there's a higher/lower/even ratio of action to drama? I think I hit a decent balance trying to split it between chapters, these last two notwithstanding.

Anyways~

Valguienmas - I included Cass to have a scene with Sivir as a nod to their shared lore. And also had her ditch Sivir cause that's also what happened in their shared lore. But tbh, I've been doing a poor job at keeping up with all the lore changes so I don't even know if that's canon anymore. I still sorta ship them regardless, even if they'd be completely bad for each other… (I'll feed off their drama)

Rufael - This sorta dips into spoilery stuff regarding Ez, but I've laid out the foreshadowing and you got the gist of it from your question, so read on if you want. Ez got Yuuto, his Star Guardian Spirit taken away instead of his entire soul. Little guy sacrificed himself to save Ezreal. So that little gem is actually Yuuto. And while he won't be able to transform entirely, Ezreal has retained some of his magical abilities.

I'll see you all at (possibly) the final chapter. Love you bye~!


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